Powerless Boy, Magical Girl
by CaptainAfrica
Summary: What a troublesome mess this was, I can't believe I'm actually telling this story. But I guess there is some meaning to it, right? - Puella Magi Zusa Kanajo
1. Revelation

Powerless Boy, Magical Girl

Author's Note: We have a solid five and a half months or so before I'm back to writing fanfiction. Original work could only hold for so long… Around 82,000 words? Upon reflection, I do realize how cheesy Homura Afterstory was and how "face-palmy" it is to read, but those were my true feelings for her. It wasn't me wanting to feel good about myself or anything, I was honestly that obsessed with her and probably still am. I will say that my writing style in that fanfic (if you ignore the plot and just focus on how my feelings were expressed) still blows the ones in my previous fanfictions out of the water. Even then there's really no need to be rude to me. I've made it clear before that I don't write for any specific audience.

As for this fanfic, there will be a better constructed original "negative character" to counter any sappiness that may occur, and maybe I have a bit better control over myself. This is indeed a sequel to Homura Afterstory, but you don't have to read it to read this one. For those that have read some or all of my previous five fanfics and were slightly disgusted but still see potential in me, go ahead and scroll down. I won't force any readers to try and understand me, but let me say this. Sometimes I feel almost hopeless, and that sooner or later my parents or anyone else opposed to my feelings would find out and put me in some kind of mental rehabilitation place, where I supposedly belong. This super-egotistical fanfiction is really one of the few things I have. I'll shut up now so you can try to enjoy this thing, as a lot of what I'll rant about here will be in the actual story anyways.

Revelation

Zusa Kanajo looked at the moonlit city where the middle-schooler known as Madoka Kaname had ascended to become a Puella Magi goddess, watching over this current sub-set of dimensions. She frowned upon such idealism, and was surprised to find that it had actually worked. Even then, great evils still existed in this world. Each time when the universe was rewritten according to some magical wish or event, her memories would remain intact. Zusa was a bringer of truth, among many other things.

The moonlight shined on her usually rather cute face. Her red, round eyes and her elegant lips could swell the hearts of boys and girls alike, but at the current moment she had a rather critical expression. The calm breeze blew through her thin black twintails, causing the strands to billow in the wind. "I was hoping you'd come sooner or later," Zusa said in a bold yet calm voice.

"Just as you expect, I have another favor of you." Kyubey jumped down from behind the Puella Magi, coming out of the shadows to a rest in front of the red-eyed girl. Zusa grimaced.

"Isn't she happy enough with that idiot…?" She muttered under her breath. "I guess this is another 'universe is collapsing and you couldn't find another Puella Magi' thing. Fine, I'll rewrite the damn universe again." This was something Madoka Kaname was aware of, although it wasn't her role to stop such occurrences. "What are the specific variables this time?"

"Strip all power from Shade," Kyubey put bluntly. "It was my mistake to give him a third role."

"So he's still most commonly known by Shade, huh…?" Zusa said. "What a stupid name." The boy known as Shade had two roles – in one subset of dimensions, he was just a boy in the world struggling with some emotional problems. Fame or animosity would come to him due to any talents he would develop. In another subset of dimensions, Shade was a grand conqueror of universes, heralding both fame and animosity because of an unfortunate fate. In this third one, Kyubey had experimented with throwing him in the Puella Magi world in order to achieve a more efficient way of harvesting emotional energy. The god damned cat had let him get that close to Homura, too… "Very well," Zusa decided. "I'll strip all the Shades I can find of their magical powers. As for the one in this universe, I'll strip him too, and throw him back in the universe you ripped him out of. Deal?"

"Excellent, Zusa. I knew I could count on you." It really wasn't a choice. If she didn't do it, the barriers between universes would collapse and all laws of physics and magic would be straight broken. She didn't entirely understand it, but it was something to do with how superpowerful magical links were tied to each person, or set of identities. As much as she despised this world, she still wanted it to remain stable.

"That boy should just disappear…" Zusa muttered as she transformed in a single flash. Her Puella Magi outfit was wrapped in blood clotting tape where she was forced to burn herself, along her right arm, left thigh, and her waist. There were the usual frills of glamour here and there, but overall she still looked rather mysterious in a black outfit. Her weapon was a form of sword that was held behind her arm, black, smooth and curved. With a flash of her blade, a bright red flare flew into the sky, and the universe started its reconstruction.

"…Hey. I've always been curious about one thing." Kyoko Sakura asked as she stood in the barren grassy fields with Ulrich. The grass was a shade of yellow, and reached up to the knees, rolling along softly in the slight breeze. The boy turned to face Kyoko, a friendly smile on his face. This was definitely an expression that wouldn't have been seen on his face a few months ago. "What's your real name?" As Kyoko asked the question, a chord was struck within Ulrich, and the boy looked away as if suddenly troubled. "Homura told me… And it seems to me a lot too, that Ulrich is a pseudonym. Is your real name that embarrassing or anything?"

"I suppose…" Ulrich replied as he observed the wind coming in through his hair. It was almost summer now, and vacation would mean a lot of sweet things to come. Homura was still in school, and from time to time the boy would take walks like this with Kyoko. "I wanted to leave my previous… How should I say it, identity, behind me when I came to this world. I didn't think that previous 'version' of me would be able to do all the things I did, even if most of my thoughts are indeed tied up with the past. It was one of the first names that came to mind, even if it was just a joke. A friend had called me that due to the class I played in a certain video game, and due to the fact that Ulrich was the name of the dead jester in Shakespeare's Hamlet… Anyways, it's something about how I wanted to define myself. Does my real name really matter?"

"If you don't want anyone to call you by it, it's fine. But it is part of you, and I want to know."

"Andy. That's my first name, and all you need to know." The boy seemed rather embarrassed.

"Andy…" Kyoko said, articulating the syllables rather awkwardly. "Ah, so on that other world you originally weren't from Japan? Or… I mean, even now I hear a slight accent in your voice, but I thought it just might've been a dialect…"

"My parents were immigrants, from Taiwan to America," the boy said. "They decided to name me that instead of a Chinese name because it would be a lot less troublesome in public matters and stuff."

"Can I call you that? It's rather fun to say."

"If you insist."

"Thanks, Andy." Upon seeing Andy wrinkle his lips, Kyoko giggled. Great, he thought. Now I'll probably have Homura calling me that too… "Does it mean anything in particular?"

"'An' is part of a few Chinese phrases, but most English names just don't mean anything. Those phrases mean 'peace' or 'younger brother' if I'm not too incorrect. I'm not too sure why you find this name preferable. I guess both names would be hard to pronounce for a Japanese person, huh? Well, for the most part, I just didn't want to pick something too common."

"Both my names are pretty common, and I don't find a problem," Kyoko responded with a smile. "What about your surname?"

"It's not that common, but as you might know, people don't call each other by surnames in America. Since you asked me for my real name, I wanted to give you the name people perceived me by, not the name I carry down because of my family. I wouldn't want to be responsible for any associations with that surname anyways."

"So I can assume it's not something like Lee or Chan…" Abruptly, in the middle of the conversation, everything blurred, and a vibrating 'whir' was heard. When the shaking stopped, Kyoko opened her eyes to find that the world appeared to be pretty much the same. Ulrich… No, Andy seemed slightly different though. "Are you alright?"

The boy blinked, and gazed at Kyoko oddly. "…What? You can't be by chance… Kyoko Sakura? Wait, I should know these things…" Kyoko felt like panicking, but the sky and grass were as calm as ever. Someone had definitely just used a powerful magic, though. She snapped her eyes off the surroundings and back to Andy, who was looking up at the sky. "The clouds seem like they were slightly moved…" Kyoko followed the young man's gaze, and found that a slightly noticeable change indeed existed.

"…What just happened?" was all the girl could say, dumbfounded. Slight shivers crawled up her spine.

"I don't know how I know this, but some sort of world-line shift or something of the sort happened," Andy said. "I've felt this kind of thing before… My memories seem to have divided. Or should I say, I think I accumulated a fantasy in which I know you… Do you know me, by any chance? Then something was just overwritten…"

The violent vroom of a motorcycle deafened Andy's guesswork, and a foxy figure came over the hills riding like it ached for blood. It was a girl without a helmet riding a rather odd motorcycle, and judging from her outfit with all of the white frills, she was a Puella Magi, too. Never mind that, Kyoko thought. She was riding straight at Andy, as if he was the intended roadkill! Crap, I don't have any time….

"…!" Zusa slammed on the brakes as she missed her target. "Lucky…" she muttered as she leapt off the vehicle. "Even in your base human form, you had the reaction time and wit to dodge at the right moment." Zusa walked towards Andy menacingly, who was getting up from the ground due to the harsh roll he had forced himself into. A slight grin spread on her face as she noticed the boy shivering moderately. "But your courage and mettle is gone… Sorry I have to do this, pretty boy." She summoned her black blade in her right hand, and raised it. "I just couldn't get you back to where you belong…"

"Stop right there!" Kyoko declared. In an instant she was in her Puella Magi outfit, charging towards the intruder with unparalleled speed. No way would that blade be able to handle a stab of this power.

Zusa grinned. She spun once, creating what looked like a temporary fireball, and then threw her blade. It whizzed right past Kyoko's shoulder, and the redhead didn't bother to care. Focus on the target… Another red flare appeared, and for a moment the two shimmered as Zusa suddenly disappeared, the flames vanishing right after. As Kyoko turned around from the shock, a solid kick was delivered into her abdomen, followed up by a flat smack of the blade to the cheek. Kyoko stumbled backwards, trying to stay calm. If I can't melee her, there's no way I can beat her… Meanwhile, Andy's eyes were darting all across Zusa's movements, analyzing every one of them for a weakness.

"Stay out of this, Kyoko Sakura," Zusa announced, and Kyoko lowered her spear by a millimeter. "You shouldn't protect those who have manipulated and seduced you. Shade!" Zusa called, immediately grabbing Andy's attention as the boy got to his feet. "You stepped out of your role here. You have two paths you're supposed to be in, and in both of them you die in lonely misery. You were never supposed to, and from now on never will, share a romantic and fulfilling life with Homura Akemi. Sorry I couldn't get you back to your original miserable world. It's my duty to eliminate the outliers, so let me kill him, Kyoko Sakura."

"As if…!" Kyoko thrusted forwards, easily abusing the spear's massive reach, but Zusa parried. If she tries another teleporting thing, I'm ready. Kyoko spun around in a circle, not allowing any movement behind or even close to her. What she didn't notice was Zusa's blade spinning into the air, and the two subtle flames that appeared. Zusa came in diagonally downwards, striking Kyoko with another painful blow to the face.

"Hmph," Zusa said and turned to face her prey. By now, Andy had already begun running away. It was slightly suspicious that he didn't seem to be running at full pace, but even then Zusa felt dignified. "That's it, run, pretty boy! You're nothing but a coward without your magic and power, aren't ya?"" Zusa swiped at the air before tossing her blade, the ends spinning over each other vertically like a baton, and appeared right in front of Andy. "Game over."

"Damn it…!" Kyoko muttered as she summoned a barrier of gems to protect the boy. Zusa grimaced for a moment before disappearing again, but Andy seemed to have something ready in his hands. Putting all his conviction into it, he threw the object through a hole in Kyoko's barrier, hitting the red flame right as it disappeared, and as Zusa reappeared behind Andy, ready for assault, something hit her and she stumbled. That's it…! Kyoko grasped the opportunity, and transformed her spear, catching Zusa with her loops of chains. The black figure stumbled and collapsed on the ground. Kyoko and Andy walked towards the fallen figure, the girl confidently, the boy cautiously.

"Your blade creates portals," Andy explained. "Although it doesn't have the flexibility of say, a gun, you were still able to use it as a projectile and create portals while it's suspended in mid-flight. The portals close almost instantaneously, as well… I only ran to look for a weapon, and a medium sized rock sufficed. After all, there is a period of time where you're vulnerable in the gap between the two portals." Kyoko almost blushed, impressed. So he was that good even without any powers…

"Tsk," Zusa scoffed. "You aren't that terrible after all, but don't get full of yourself. This is nothing like jumping in front of a bullet. And by the way… This fight is far from over." Before either Kyoko or Andy could gasp, Zusa burst into a red flame, freeing herself from the chains in an instant. For some reason, the nearby grass didn't catch on fire, and neither did Zusa's body. "There's no point for me using my best move when I'm exhausted of everything else," Zusa said. "False Ascension!"

In a split second, the black figure rammed into Andy and smashed into his chest with the flat of her blade. The boy went flying upwards at an incredible pace, and something shimmered in the sky. As Zusa sailed upwards to meet him, Kyoko could only watch, as the newcomer had pulled herself and her prey to a height she couldn't reach before she could react. Damn it! Kyoko lunged back and threw her spear upwards, hoping for the best but knowing her weapon wouldn't make it.

Homura Akemi sat through yet another lecture in her class, bored and lonely as always. Madoka had embraced her in her arms, and gave her the red ribbon she was wearing, among other things. But it just wasn't enough. Homura rarely heard the familiar voice in her head, and when she did, she wondered whether she was hallucinating. There were times where she would be full of bitterness and hatred again, and almost though that she would just disappear like another Puella Magi. She couldn't believe that it was a year and two months since her apotheosis. This was getting ridiculous.

Kyoko had seemed to grown more accepting of Homura's story as time passed, and Mami offered sweets from time to time, but there was still a rather large emotional gap between the Puella Magi. And if they weren't enough to combat her loneliness, friends in school definitely wouldn't. She wasn't an artist or writer, either. Homura needed other people, and couldn't devote herself to just fictional things.

There was something else that made her strive on, though. It was something along the lines of a prayer, or love letter, but she couldn't physically grasp it. There was a comforting source in her mind that she knew didn't come from her own imagination, never mind God or something holy. Definitely, it was another human being looking out for her, not a god or goddess, but just… someone. She wondered who it was.

A few months ago, she had been foolish enough to face an extremely powerful demon all by herself, without backup. Something strange had saved her… Before that, there had been two types of wings. The first ones were the angelic ones granted to her by Madoka, which were used to break falls and maneuver. The second ones were the black and distorted otherworldly wings, which would appear whenever she felt consumed in grief or rage. During that moment, when she was bloodied and almost died, a third version of wings had sprouted from her back. They seemed to be leathery and red like those of a dragons, and were capable of guarding against fire without a flinch of pain, as well as other things. When she sprouted them, all of her wounds had healed, and an invisible barrier had formed around her. Somehow, she knew that those wings weren't hers. It was granted by someone else, like her angelic wings were granted by Madoka.

Homura's cell phone suddenly vibrated in her pocket. I hope it isn't just spam… She snapped out the device under her desk and read the message. It was inappropriate behavior, but Puella Magi had to be able to contact each other like this in case they needed backup.

From: Mami Tomoe

We have trouble. It's in the yellow field right next to the green grassy ones with the wind farms.

Homura put away her cell phone and looked up at the teacher. She had long gotten tired of doing the "I'm feeling sick, may I go to the nurse's office?" plot. Something within her told her that this was extremely important, as well. With a poker face, she ran out of the room with her briefcase, eager to meet the situation.

"Stop right there," A calm, familiar voice called out as Zusa floated a few meters above Andy, ready to smash him downwards into the ground violently. The spear was still sailing. Like some random voice would stop me… Zusa thought as she swung the blade. "My, my, what a bad girl we have here."

Yellow ribbons reached out and wrapped up Andy tightly, pulling the boy away from Zusa's vicious strike. Andy's stomach lurched violently, and he gagged at the sudden movement downwards, but he landed softly due to the ribbons. "Tsk," Zusa said, creating a portal and landing back on the ground.

"That's about as far you go," Mami Tomoe declared as she stepped into the scene. "Even with power like yours, I doubt you'll be willing to take on three opponents." Zusa looked around at the battlefield.

"I count Shade over there as less than a half," Zusa said. "And he's gagging. So you're wrong. I can easily take on the two of you."

"The third opponent is right there," Mami said as she pointed out towards the sky, and a violet arrow flew down and caught Zusa's blade in a viscous state. Homura Akemi landed from the sky softly, and brushed her hair before dissipating her angelic wings.

"It was my mistake to restore some of your temporal magic, huh?" Zusa grimaced as she reached for the blade. She couldn't touch it, as it was locked in a separate time-space by the magical gel. "I had thought I would just watch Shade squirm for a bit before killing him, but this took much longer than planned. Now I'll have to appeal with diplomacy."

"It's rather pathetic when villains do that," Kyoko said, walking over to where her spear had landed and picking it up. Zusa didn't resist as she was chained and stumbled to the ground. It appeared she couldn't summon the red flames with her blade in a different space-time.

"I thought ribbons would be softer, but I guess you were here first," Mami commented.

"The one you should be looking at," Zusa said calmly, "Is Shade over there, not me." Immediately, all three standing Puella Magi turned to the boy stumbling to his feet and struggling not to throw up. Upon closer inspection of his face, Mami felt a sudden grip of terror. Homura looked at him passively, as if she had met him somewhere before but was unfamiliar with him now. Kyoko was confused by his change, and looked at him wishing for his well-being. "I'll explain it all, okay? We'll sit down at a coffee shop and talk peacefully."

"You can count me out," Mami said, already reverting to her now high school uniform. "I'll be leaving this city soon, as I have acquaintances in other places that need me. You have a new Puella Magi, so the demons here should be under control, right? I'm sure you can get along with her if you try. In addition to that, that boy scares me. It's as if I met him in some nightmare before… Did I?"

"Uh, the truth…" Andy muttered. "It was some twisted fantasy, but I cut off your head. Or something." Kyoko grimaced, and Zusa grinned inside. Mami's death was something that Andy usually just glazed over like that.

"I'll assume that was some other you," Mami said, forcing a smile. "I'll be going now." With that, Mami left the scene. Kyoko hesitated for a bit before removing the chains from Zusa.

"Thank you," Zusa said with a smile so gentle it was almost creepy. Compare that with the other expressions she made recently… She reverted back to her casual clothes, and dismissed her weapon. "Now then, shall we get going?" All three others were relatively confused, so Zusa led the way.

There was an awkward silence for quite a bit of time before anyone said anything. Zusa and Andy were sitting at one side, Kyoko and Homura on the other. By the time Kyoko mustered the courage to speak up, all of the drinks had already arrived.

"Homura, you really don't remember who he is?" Homura would look at Andy from time to time, and sometimes stare, but he seemed to be more an ancient artifact than someone she cared about.

"I don't…" Homura muttered. "Mind explaining?"

"I was going to kill him for the good of the universe…" Zusa started.

"Shut it," Kyoko snapped, and turned back to Homura. "You really… don't remember? I swear… Maybe it's just a hallucination, but for the past few months he's been…" This was incredibly uncomfortable to say. "Your lover." Homura continued to sip her tea calmly. "Even with a shift in dimensions or something stupid like that, I didn't think you'd forget. I certainly didn't."

"You retained your memories because of some complicated magical thing," Zusa said, sipping the pearls in her milk tea. "You were granted stronger memories or mental manipulation from your original wish, to have people understand your dad's ravings, but they disappeared when your family broke apart. Shade here came along with some philosophical ideas and restored that power. Also, maybe you love him more."

Kyoko flushed, struggling to control her anger. "Why do you call him Shade, anyways?" Andy still hadn't introduced himself, and Kyoko didn't want Homura to get a false impression.

"In most universes, he's known as the villainous emperor. That's simply the most famous version of him. There really should only be two versions of him, that version and the bum that in most world lines doesn't do anything but sometimes becomes an artistic genius or something. His arrival here was a glitch forced by Kyubey in order to harvest emotional energy more efficiently, but the fabric of the universe started to tear because of it. And so, I was called to restore him to his proper place. When that didn't work, I tried killing him, and that's when you showed up."

"Who are you to say how fate should work…" Kyoko muttered, not touching her smoothie. "I don't think the sky is falling on us now, so did you really have to attempt murder?"

"I've done many murders," Zusa said matter-of-factly. "It's all in my role. For the most part, I stripped him of any magical powers too, so it should be fine. But I didn't want Homura to get involved with him. He may seem perfectly decent at first… How should I say this? On that other world, he only managed to grasp her heart because Kyubey allowed him to subconsciously steal some of her emotional willpower. That's how Shade likes his girls. Strong, made weak because they're forced into loving him due to loneliness or something of the sort."

"…That's not true!" Kyoko wanted to yell, but she came out half-stuttering. Could Zusa really be right…? "Why would you even care about justice or Homura anyways? You seem to only be working for yourself."

"I find Homura-san rather attractive," Zusa said without a blush. "Yeah, I'm a lesbian. I lie about a lot of stupid things, but my sexuality isn't one of them. I've seen her in other world lines, and haven't stalked her that obsessively, but I don't want to have her end up with someone as pathetic as the boy sitting beside me."

"He's not…" Kyoko muttered, but paused mid-sentence to look at Andy. Could she say that for sure for this version of him, stripped of his power and some of his mental fortitude?

"So I'm right, aren't I?" Zusa said harshly. "You're stuttering in your defense, after all."

Kyoko shot up from her seat. "Shut up you…!"

"Kyoko, calm down," Andy said. "If this gets violent, there's no guarantee I or the others in this café will be safe. You can rage about it later in private…"

"Ah," Kyoko said, blushing and looking to the side, taking her seat. "Sorry."

"Kyoko, let's hear your story," Homura said. "Don't worry, I trust you over this stranger."

"Oh, where are my manners?" Zusa suddenly put on a different attitude, but not as if she had another personality. "I'm Zusa Kanajo. My magical powers involve making portals and sliding between dimensions."

"Isn't a Puella Magi's powers based on their wish?" Andy asked. "What did you do to get such powers?"

Zusa reverted to her less pleasant self. "I had allies in my original world that gave me some of their power with their last breaths. I guess they wouldn't want to think of me becoming the way I am now, but even then. Even if I'm just following Kyubey's orders, I still am helping out the multiverse."

"Hmph," Kyoko scoffed. "Okay, here's my story." The redhead took a deep breath. "Maybe you'll remember him when you hear about it, Homura. A few months ago, I felt that Homura was on the brink of disappearing. She seemed desperate and lonely, but I couldn't really reach out to her as a fellow Puella Magi. Andy here… He slid here from his world. Apparently he had made a deal with Kyubey after seeing Homura's situation, having a noble desire to help her. The circumstances were similar to those of the original Puella Magis', except here, he would be forced to ingest despair every time he defeated a demon. He was well aware of that when he made the wish, but didn't tell Homura. They… Well, they were almost ideal lovers. It feels embarrassing and cheesy just describing them, but that's how it was. When he got near the point to becoming a demon, unpleasant things happened, to say the least. I got close to him because of a foolish decision, and maybe that's why I'm so attached to him now. But in the end, Homura overcame all odds against her. When Andy became a demon, she was able to reverse the curse through another Puella Magi's wish and force of will alone. That's why I was so surprised when it turned out Homura's memories were wiped and mine weren't…"

"Well, he does feel familiar in some way," Homura said. Andy blushed among her every gaze, and did so at the present.

"I guess… I guess I should go now," the boy spoke up. "I mean, go as in speak up. For my case, I remember most of Kyoko's story, but it seemed like pure fantasy to me, or a pleasant dream. I have a stronger set of memories in which I didn't even arrive here up until now. Kyubey did approach me that one October night, and I was set on making the deal, but suddenly he disappeared, and I got dizzy. I stumbled back to my bed, thinking it was all just a hallucination and wanting to brush it off. But the images he… it forced on me, they stayed embedded in my mind. I wanted to just believe that you people were on the level of fictional characters, but before I knew it I was obsessing over Homura, fantasizing about her day and night, wanting to cure her of her loneliness. It was an attachment for me, and I didn't know why it was there. It just was, and I didn't care if it made living an inconvenience or made me question my sanity. It went on for six or seven good months, and I don't care if it goes on forever. Now then… Oh god, I sound so generic. And saying that aloud makes me feel like I'm in some dumb anime. But here it is, my introduction." The boy stood up shyly, looking at the table and his tea.

"I know that you might not need me, and I probably don't deserve you, Homura. But given the opportunity here, and the chance… I'm not going to say 'I'm not good enough' like a wimp whenever you need something that I can bring, or something I can do. Sure, I'm just another romantic fool in a badly scripted scenario, but I don't have to be special or unique. I'm just me, and I'm in love, and it's as simple as that. This time around, I won't use any pseudonyms to assume a different identity. Zusa, you can stop calling me Shade, too. All of you three, and whoever bothers to know me in this world… I'm Andy. Hi."

"Whatever," Zusa said as she violently pulled Andy back to his seat, and the boy indeed looked like he had his bubble burst. "You must be so proud of yourself, you generic trash."

"I see…" Homura said as she gazed at Andy, looking weaker than ever. "I did feel someone's presence and care for me ever since I started to feel extremely lonely. It must've been you. Thank you then… I probably would've died if not for you."

"…And if that presence is eliminated," Kyoko seized the opportunity. "Homura, who you care so much about, might disappear, Zusa."

"Tsk. Are you really thanking him?" Zusa said with a look of disgust. "Listen, boy, when the time comes, will you go through hell for her? I don't mean finding some clever strategy to overcome your enemy, or blocking an enemy attacking her for a good few seconds, but I mean actual hell. The kind that God throws upon you when it's proven you're nothing but trash. Will you? Or will you be nothing but a mass of elegant words and sweet poetry and break her heart?"

Andy straightened up, not facing anyone in particular but as if just reciting facts. "No one can prove anything, especially if it's a hypothetical. But if a person isn't sure of himself, even if that amounts to nothing but arrogance when the time comes… That person doesn't deserve to be called a lover. Yes, of course I'd go through hell for her." Homura only seemed slightly flattered.

"Whatever," Zusa said. "I'm going to do some stuff at home. Don't come after me and try to kill me, or you might find the sky falling down on you." With that, the twintailed girl slurped her milk tea noisily and left.

"Thanks for the support…" Homura paused as she looked at Andy. "Um, Andy." That accent was definitely troublesome. "But I think it's still a bit too early to call it a date. We can go over things later."

"…In the other world line, I had dinner with you right after I saved you from that demon a few months back…" Andy's eyes were darting back and forth, trying to maintain eye contact but failing. "It's fine. It's probably better to pace things like this anyways." Homura showed an understanding smile, one that sent butterflies crawling all over Andy's heart, before leaving.

"Don't worry," Kyoko said assuredly, "She'll come back to you eventually." Andy could only flash an embarrassed smile at the statement.

"Wait. Crap," the boy said. "I guess I'm paying for all of us." He reached into his pocket and found his wallet. "So it turns out I still have this thing. So my physical self is the same, and my social status in this world is the same, but no magic and no Homura…" Andy laid out the bills and put a tip. "I guess it would be rather troublesome if I didn't have an apartment, huh?" As Kyoko and Andy left the café, only silence was exchanged between them for a while. "Kyoko… Why are you wishing me good luck? Don't you… Well, um, like me?"

"But you love Homura, and hardly see me as a romantic interest," Kyoko said dejectedly. "That's just the way things should be. I'm not going to win over your heart in your time of weakness." Another silence. "Um, I have a request. Can I stay at your place for tonight, though?"

"Sure," Andy said as he silently led the girl to his apartment. If the things in the fantasy actually happened, Andy wondered, I must've wrecked her over with what I did, and yet she still likes me. Or could it go beyond just liking me… She's sacrificing her interests, after all. Jeez, I hope I'm not absorbing her emotional energy or something. The two arrived at the door. "Where do you usually sleep, anyways?"

"I find… places," Kyoko said, rather embarrassed.

"Don't the police like… Track you down or something?"

"If you run around with the trash bags or cloaks you find in alleyways, they won't really notice. As far as the public is concerned, what happened to my family was some freak incident that occurred a long time ago, and they don't care about what happened to that supposedly magical girl that might've lived. But I don't want your pity, Andy. You probably read about it in the news. In third world countries, girls half my age are forced into prostitution, and wars get more and more unpleasant, with civilian torture and genocide… And after all…"

"That doesn't mean that you don't deserve comfort or… love," Andy said as he closed the door and stepped towards Kyoko. There was only one moderately large room in the whole apartment, besides the bathroom. He had changed rooms a while ago, apparently, but didn't bother to just cancel his rent. It turned out to be a good idea to keep this place after all… All alone with her in the center… Before he knew it, Andy began to stroke the red, frizzy hair, and Kyoko buried herself in his chest.

"Just for one night… okay?" Andy nodded, and even though Kyoko had her eyes closed, she knew that she had received his silent approval. The two stood in that position for a while, enjoying each other's warmth and scent.

"Maybe I should start preparing dinner," the boy said, brushing Kyoko off gently. He opened the refrigerator and brought some ingredients onto the kitchen counter, but realized something. "So I forgot some things after all. This is rather embarrassing. Maybe you could help me, or…?"

"…No problem," Kyoko said. "Before the world shift, you did teach me how to do stuff like this… You wouldn't mind fried or grilled, right? It's been a while since I've had them."

"Fine with me," Andy said, feeling rather helpless as Kyoko arranged the cooking instruments. Back on that world line, Kyoko had lived with him and Homura, not having anywhere else to go. It was far from a pseudo-harem or love triangle, yet she seemed relatively happy in such a situation. Perhaps out of everybody, she was the one who would be disturbed the most by Zusa's change.

"The feeling I get while doing this… It's kind of pleasant," Kyoko said aloud. "But still, it doesn't seem like I'm going anywhere with my life. I don't care that much about a job or helping society, but at this point, I feel kind of ruined for stuff like romance or such. I had kind of planned to live with you two forever back then, honestly." Andy stayed silent, as if afraid to ask a question. "Don't worry about it, though." Even after hearing those words, the boy was in a state of confused pity.

"Say, Kyoko…" Andy started, wondering what kind of answer he would get. "You haven't been affected by any of Kyubey's triggers or manipulations, right? If so, why do you like me so much?"

Kyoko flushed, not wanting to answer the question. "You kind of… Remind me of my father, you know? Never mind some of the physical features, but your gestures and the way you talk, it's rather comforting and it all makes sense. But you're different than him in that you seem to care more for the individual… For me, at least. Our family had to put up with his ridiculous idealism for years before I had the chance of becoming a Puella Magi. He really didn't have the time or the will to actually… Well, play with me that much."

Andy blinked, unsure of what to make of this. "So this is something along the lines of a reverse Oedipus complex? Wait, sorry, you might not know the story…" Any paused for a bit, and the sounds of Kyoko preparing the food and nothing else hinted to him to go on. "It was a Greek tragedy. A prince, Oedipus, was fated to kill his father and marry his mother, so he was sent away to another kingdom. When Oedipus discovered that prophecy, he left his foster parents, thinking that they were the ones he was fated to destroy. I think it goes that way, at least… Along the road, his group meets with his actual father's on a trip, and he kills him over a minor argument. Then there's something about the riddle of the Sphinx, and when he got to his original country he courted his mother, neither of them aware of their identities. Twenty years later he finds out and stabs his eyes out, and wanders the world blind."

Kyoko frowned. "What in the world kind of story is that?"

Andy shrugged. "It's much better than say fairy tales, or the modern literature we have today. I could've just said it was the tale of a man killing his father and marrying his mother, but I preferred to tell the full story. To me, it's not all that tragic, as the characters were only tragic by their ignorance, but I haven't actually read it myself. Anyhow, a 19th century philosopher named Sigmund Freud focused on psychoanalysis, and said that every male is subconsciously like a willing Oedipus, to want to slay his dad and marry his mom. I heard Freud obsesses way too much over sex, but I suppose there's some logic to this theory."

"There are other reasons I like you too," Kyoko said. "I think it was jealousy at first, which is just a part of human nature… Still, even after that night we had together after you had grown bitter and sullen due to the contract you made with Kyubey, I still think of you rather pleasantly… I don't know, it's not that there would've been no one else, but I want to redo that night, so that we could connect in a better way." Andy stood in deep thought. Apparently, as he had grown closer to the demonic state, grief had filled his heart, and he seized Kyoko's random request for sex as an opportunity. He didn't bother making her feel too good, and wasn't able to in the mental state he had been in. "I can feel how it works down there, and for me, I don't think my body's changed. Even if it's just a passing nightmare for you, I remember those moments when you took my virginity, and can't help thinking about them a lot, sometimes."

Andy sighed. "I guess I should make that up to you, somehow. How did you find out about sex, anyways? I doubt your dad would've been the type to talk to you about something like that."

"Ah, I was curious one day, and asked Homura and Mami about it. I did imagine correctly how some things would actually go, but a lot of things surprised me. And even more when we actually came time to do it…"

Andy swallowed a silent gulp. The bed was only a meter or two away from him. He hadn't bothered with a couch, so spending the night with Kyoko might lead to some other implications.

As the two ate dinner, there was a silent tension between them. Kyoko felt guilty realizing that she had said she supported restoring Andy's relationship with Homura, and yet she was taking advantage of the current situation to get closer to him. Andy felt guilty knowing that even if he just let her stay the night, it would make him more than her friend already. Maybe tomorrow, she could stay at Zusa's place or something… But no, that twintailed girl still wasn't trustworthy.

"You should probably take a shower," Andy said, realizing that Kyoko had nothing to do after her plate was empty. "I'll do the dishes, as it's only fair that way. Seriously though, seeing that I'm probably going to stay in this world, I'll have to learn cooking all over again. It might be harder this time too, huh…?"

"I don't need a shower," Kyoko claimed. "I'm fine in these clothes, too…" Andy let out a soft, fond sigh. Even after she had moved in with him and Homura, she refused to take showers daily or even weekly, and it had taken a while to get her to put her everyday outfit in the laundry. "Honestly, don't you know how much water all of this stuff takes? You're the one that can actually access information, after all. Humans have gotten along perfectly fine without washing themselves until a few centuries ago, right?"

"It's more of a psychological thing, but true, first-world countries, especially America, do use ridiculous amounts of fresh water and heat. I honestly don't get why they just don't use salt water or something… Still, you'll feel better if you take the shower. You don't smell that strongly of dirt or anything, but it'll give you a fresh feeling. I won't force you to do it every day, or anything."

"Hmph," Kyoko scoffed and went in the bathroom. She didn't quite remember the last time she took a shower, but knew that doing so felt unreasonably pleasant. As she turned on the hot water and stepped into bathtub, she could feel her muscles relaxing. The sensation of water almost felt like insects crawling over the skin, except without the trouble of not being able to shake them off. It was more of a warm breeze type of feeling, than anything, a breeze that just kept on coming. Kyoko couldn't push part of the curtain and look at her reflection in the mirror and said that she deserved this, but it was relaxing nevertheless. It was like being born again, except without all of the unpleasantness.

Andy had left clothes on the counter before she came in, which would be rather revealing even for her slim figure, but it wasn't a problem. Kyoko had probably taken a much longer time in the shower than intended, but didn't worry too much about it as she wiped herself off. So this was first-world luxury, huh? And no, not even that, there were plenty even wealthier…

Kyoko put on the sleeveless shirt and boxers, and came out of the bathroom feeling refreshed. "You're not going to dry your hair?" Andy asked after a few seconds of observing her contentment.

"Meh," Kyoko said. "The weather's getting rather warm, and I don't think I'd catch a cold anyways."

"But if you lie down, you'd get water on the bed… And don't say you're not taking the bed. What about I dry it for you?" Kyoko looked away, embarrassed, but didn't reject the idea. "Honestly, it's ridiculously long," Andy observed as he ran the blow dryer over parts of the stringy red hair, annoyed by the time it took to dry. "It goes down almost all the way to your knees. It's surprised it doesn't hinder you in battle. Have you ever thought of cutting it shorter, or anything?"

"If-If you want me to," Kyoko said, still uncomfortable yet comforted in the scenario.

"You never had an experience like this, either? I guess it would be just as embarrassing for you if this was a girl, right?" Kyoko formed a small nod. "I can see why you don't bother even trying to comb. This is really just one big mess of hair we have here." More silence, and Andy felt like he was obligated to say something. "You know, if I get the opportunity, I'd resurrect Sayaka, too. It'd probably be better if you were with her than with me. Zusa stripped me of my powers, but Kyubey or some other dealer might approach me again."

"Don't mention her," Kyoko said somberly. "It's not like I want to forget her, but thinking about her just doesn't feel right in this scenario… I don't know, maybe she would be happy I found a boy. But even then…"

She couldn't finish that statement. Eventually, the tedious hair drying process was done, and Andy went into the bathroom for his own shower. Kyoko threw herself on the bed and stared at the ceiling for a bit before bunching up the blankets and sniffing them. The smells were very faint, as the sheets hadn't been touched for a while, but even then she could smell something pleasant. Her imagination began to go places, thinking of Sayaka as well as Andy… Damn it. And guys must be thinking of this stuff all the time, huh?

Andy came out of the bathroom refreshed, in loose shorts and a T-shirt. After drying his hair, he approached Kyoko, ignoring her position on the bed. "Do you want to go straight to bed or mess around a bit on the computer? You have my permission, you know."

"Just…" Kyoko took a deep breath. "Come to bed." She resisted the urge to add the words "with me".

"All right," the boy said as he dimmed the lights. "Seeing that my social status here is still the same, I still have to get up pretty early for work tomorrow, much earlier than I had to for school, as it is Friday tomorrow, right? It feels like my two biological clocks are overlapping, so it might be better to eliminate one this way." And with that, Andy got into bed with Kyoko, the two sharing blankets. They were around a foot or two away, and Kyoko was facing the other distance, but Andy felt slightly aroused by the situation.

Kyoko turned in her position before rolling over into Andy's arms. "Can we sleep this way… Please?" Andy looked away, embarrassed, but knew that he really didn't have a choice.

"Sure," Andy said and embraced the redhead as she closed her eyes and pressed against his chest. I wonder if she ever did this with her father… God, just the way I phrased that sentence sounds wrong. And what's more, it appears this body still isn't used to circumstances like this…

"So you're really that aroused right now?" Kyoko asked, smiling as she looked at Andy with her sharp crimson eyes. Crap, she actually felt it… Kyoko's expression quickly turned somber. "You're probably going to start dating Homura soon, and chances are… At least I believe it'll go well for you. This might be my only opportunity, and…" she took a deep breath. "I want a memory of us… Together, one that's more pleasant."

"Yeah, I'll have sex with you," Andy replied bluntly. "It might not be that great, as half of my mind knows how to do this and half of it doesn't. In any case…" With that, the young teenagers began stripping.

It went rather well, with enough foreplay as there was the actual act, which lasted a decent amount of time. The kisses and hugs had been tender yet passionate, and Kyoko had a look of genuine satisfaction after it was done, using the boy's chest as a pillow. Although Andy felt rather pleased for being able to comfort a girl he liked like this, there was something else on his mind.

"I don't have an excuse this time," the boy said out loud, disturbing Kyoko's peaceful rest. "There was no cursed grief in my heart, and neither was any magic worked on me. At least I don't think… I'm just imagining what I'll say to Homura the next day, and Zusa too when we all meet up."

"Not keeping it a secret," Kyoko said with a bitter smile, rearranging her position and stroking Andy's chest. "It shouldn't be too big of an issue, I mean…"

"Well, even if they'd try to ignore it, I'm telling it. No secrets between friends, and definitely not lovers." Kyoko seemed to start to feel guilt too. "Whatever. I should've brought this up later, maybe when we wake up together. One thing though… Even if you don't have a problem with it, I'm not sure if things are the same after Zusa's twist. Kyubey said that Puella Magi couldn't get pregnant, but maybe it's different now. You can find a 'morning after' pill or something of the sort tomorrow for me, right? After all, you aren't some girl in an h-doujin or manga. It wouldn't go too smoothly if you got too excited over the idea of having a child."

"Yeah…" Kyoko nodded, still stroking the young man's chest. She didn't say it out loud, but deep down she did have a slight urge to just let things slide like that… "What you did with me tonight, though. It definitely wasn't just lust, or God forbid, killing time, right? I'm not sure how you can love Homura and yet do this kind of thing with me… Sorry. I was the one who requested it, anyways."

"I can't say this without sounding incredibly awkward, but I sort of see you in a brotherly or even fatherly manner. I'm not sure how Freud would say sexuality ties into that, but I thought doing this might give you some closure. Or something. I don't know. It's a one time thing, okay? We'll talk about threesomes tomorrow afternoon when we meet up with Homura and Zusa. For now, relax and let me relax."

"I'm not sure what Zusa might say about this," Kyoko said as she nestled back closer to Andy. "It seems to me she either sees you as generic shonen trash or cheating selfish scum. Then again, who cares about what she says? I enjoyed what we did tonight, so you really shouldn't worry too much about it. Maybe it has given me some closure."

"…Hmph," Andy said as he turned back over to face Kyoko. "What about this, then? I can't promise love or anything, but if we're ever in a compromising situation, as if I had to either save Homura or you, I'll stick with some morals and try to get you both out safely. It's tough to imagine as I don't have any powers to fight demons now, but… It's a promise, okay?"

Kyoko wanted to smile, but just looked downwards into space. "Thank you."

The next morning, Andy got up rather early and shook Kyoko awake. She was a rather hard sleeper, after all… "I'm leaving for work," the boy said to Kyoko's dazed face. "Just wanted to tell you so that next time you wake up, it won't feel like I ditched you too heartlessly. We'll all meet up at the café sometime in the afternoon, okay? Just wait outside the entrance."

"…Right," Kyoko muttered as she closed her eyes and turned over again. It wasn't even close to light out. She knew her role in her relationship with Andy, and pulling him back just wasn't one of them. It would be nice if she just spent an entire day with him, even if she wouldn't understand the conversations he brought up about literature and philosophy, or even if it would mean just sex. A single night like this would have to be good enough for her, as she sensed the real romantic story was coming.

What trouble, Kyoko thought as she rolled over in bed yet again.


	2. Rekindling

Rekindling

Homura headed to the café where Zusa, Kyoko, and that mysterious boy had tried to sort things out yesterday after school. She really didn't have anything better to do besides mope on the bed or something of the sort, and wanted to make sure Kyoko would be all right. Homura didn't even bother heading home to change, and just headed to the café in her uniform and briefcase.

"So, we were waiting for a while," Zusa said standing with Kyoko and Andy outside of the entrance. She was about the age to be in high school, yet she already changed into casual clothes. "Let's go in. I'm sure Kyoko and Shade, I mean Andy, have things they want to say to you." With that, Zusa led the way, and Homura observed the embarrassed looks on the other two.

The seats were the same as yesterday, Zusa and Andy on one side and Homura and Kyoko on the other. This time, the conversation started before the drinks reached the table. Kyoko had a sense of déjà vu, or rather was the most disturbed by the actual memory of an event beforehand, and couldn't muster the sense to speak up. This led Andy to speak up as boldly as he could, but still with quivers in his voice. "I want to pursue a romantic relationship with you, Homura, you know…" He forced himself to look into those cool indigo eyes. "But Kyoko asked me if she could stay at my place yesterday, and we ended up well, having sex." Homura only looked slightly surprised.

"I requested it." Kyoko knew that it was now time to speak up. "It was all consensual, and he, um, performed well, I mean… It's only meant to be a one time thing. You two should get back together, really…" Kyoko shot an annoyed glance at Zusa, who was stifling giggles.

"All right," Homura said, looking over to Andy. "So you're a rather daring fellow, aren't you? I assume that you lost your virginity with me in the original world… Or shall we say, the world Zusa didn't alter. Or if you've ever done something like this on your original world…"

"Never," Andy said, embarrassed. He turned his head to look away, but forced himself to make eye contact, which resulted in a funny expression. Zusa was trying even harder to stifle her laughter, and Andy coughed. "Zusa, is there something you have to say?"

"It's just sex!" Zusa said as she threw her hands off her lips, attracting the attention of a few nearby. "Come on, people! Do you want to hear how I became a Puella Magi? I promise not to make it a sob story."

"I assume you've gone through some tragedy, though," Kyoko said. "I'm curious to hear about it."

"My parents weren't perfect," Zusa said matter-of-factly as if she was reciting a report. "I won't say they were bad. They were and still are rich people in business, and it could be evidently seen that they had only married for the thrill of it, and that it had nothing to do with romance at all. Anyways, both started having affairs at around the same time, and they realized it pretty soon. But they didn't really care, you know? They didn't even care if they were having sex with strangers and their elementary school daughter, me, was just coming home from school. This was a household where swear words would fly openly, one that would make the public doubt my parent's social status. On top of that stuff, my mom enjoyed torturing squirrels in the backyard, and my dad smoked and drank heavily. He wasn't violent without provocation, but if I ever got in his way he would beat me. Just a punch or two, and it was the same with the people he had affairs with. Anyways, I was confused and a little traumatized at first. But once in a while, my dad would be sober and not smoking, and my mom wouldn't be preoccupied by torturing little furry animals, and we'd have a nice dinner together. I can say, this environment truly raised me well. They showed me what the world was like: everybody lies. It's not really that much different than the student mindlessly grinding out worksheets, or the worker that despises his company. And that's why I say to you three cuties, quit trying to be so romantic. Most of the people I've met with these attitudes in other towns and worlds don't survive for long. My parents are still as successful as ever, and I'm quite popular and high-standing in school, never mind the fact that I can leap between dimensions and create portals. Not bad for a first-year high schooler."

"True, but in a sense, the majority needs to still have some sense of what's right, or believe in what they're doing," Andy said, quickly breaking the silence that was supposed to follow from such a story. "If everyone believed in 'Realpolitik', and did what they wanted without regard for others, the world would be dead."

"A person of your intelligence should know that it's fear that keeps people in check," Zusa shot back. "Fear of being out on the streets and abandoned, fear of being thrown in jail, or just the fear of not being socially accepted. I won't deny that there are actually people that do what they think is right, but Andy boy, you're the type that would be much better off just doing what you want. Every time you pursue love, including last time and this time, you'll be left in a state of misery."

"I don't suppose the story of Shade is the one that I have in my mind; the one I wrote stories about?" Andy tensed his expression. "He ends up dead."

"Everyone ends up dead," Zusa said bluntly. "And the reason he died is still because of love." Zusa had a rather relaxed tone, leaving the other three in rather deep thought. The drinks came.

"Why didn't you just kill me last night?" Andy asked. "It's almost impossible to wake Kyoko up when she's in a comfortable slumber, and didn't you want to prevent a pathetic boy like me from courting Homura?"

"I changed my mind. I think this world is more fun with you," Zusa smiled. Andy tried to look for the weakness in her mind that he knew was there, but couldn't find it. "But anyways, what were we talking about? Oh yeah, how it's just sex. None of you should really be irritated about it. Go do a threesome if you want, just count me out. I know for sure that I don't want to see pretty boy here naked."

Andy looked at his body. He could be considered skinny, but it wasn't to a grotesque extent, and his shoulders were still broad enough. He looked back up to the twintailed girl with a concerned expression. "It's more than sex, Zusa, and I think you'd know that if you tried it. I can't speak for all people, but I used to think it was just pleasing myself, and it turns out I was wrong. And I'm a guy. I mean, lust is a pretty powerful desire in every human being, something we all share… Even if it's base, it's something anyone with sexuality would want to connect by. Homura, you yourself… Uh, I mean have thought of Madoka…"

"Yes," Homura nodded. "This is rather embarrassing."

"And there's the urge to consider yourself special, plus the fact that most people only have one set of genitals. That's why a threesome is rather awkward in my opinion." The was a pause between the group, and everyone except Andy started sipping their drinks. The boy looked out into space and stated a random fact. "Uh, I heard that women have more of a choice in their sexuality that men do, since women are attracted to romance and men are attracted to body parts. I think I'm attracted to ideas, but… I know, I don't get how male genitals would be attractive anyways."

"Hmmm?" Zusa asked as she sipped her sweetened coffee. "You're pretty entertaining after all, pretty boy. You're blunt to a ridiculous extent, where you don't even consider manners."

"It's not that I have a problem talking about it, it's just that I don't know what to say…" Homura said while staring at her tea. "After all, we are drinking right now." With that statement, Kyoko almost spit out the smoothie she was drinking, causing Zusa and Homura to wonder about what exactly happened last night. "Going on a date with a guy wouldn't be hell, but I just couldn't imagine confessing the whole Puella Magi thing and falling in their arms. Due to his memory and the past, I guess Andy has a chance in this scenario, huh."

"What about this then…" Kyoko said, feeling uncomfortable throughout the entire conversation. "We'll split up into groups and meet up around this plaza for dinner at a restaurant. Andy can have his first date thing with Homura, and I can pass the time with Zusa. Sound all right?"

"I just have a few questions though," Andy shot up his hand. "Zusa, if you can recreate the universe, wouldn't that make you near omnipotent? And if you slide between world lines, what happens to the 'you' on this time plane?"

Zusa closed her eyes, annoyed. "I have to get Kyubey's approval, as if I just act on a whim the multiverse might be destroyed. I combine my memories with my other selves, and usually even if there's a drastic difference in circumstances I can get through it smoothly with lying. About threesomes and group sex in general, though. It really would prevent a lot of romantic tragedies if people just acted out on them."

"Kyoko," Homura said.

"Y-Yes?" Kyoko asked, still tensed up at the thought of a threesome.

"You don't owe me anything, even if I unintentionally saved your life due to the events with Madoka. If he's willing to sleep with you, you can act out on a romantic relationship if you want. I'm not that lonely, and certainly, you deserve comfort as well as me…"

"I-It doesn't work that way," Kyoko said, embarrassed. "Andy loves you and not me, and I can't just bend his will…"

"That's how it is," Andy said as he downed his ice tea at quite a fast pace. "Shall we get going?"

As the four left the café, Homura's cell phone rang. It was Mami. The indigo-eyed girl picked it up and put it to her ear.

"I just settled in the new apartment," Mami said. "I think I'll be fine. There seem to be a lot of demons here, but there are other Puella Magi, and they don't seem hostile. How's it going with that weird boy you guys found?" Homura felt that the description was rather rude, but that was what Andy was in the scenario.

"Uh, he just had sex with Kyoko. No I mean, he had sex with Kyoko last night, it was supposed to be consolation or a one-time thing…" Kyoko flushed hotly at the statement, and marched over to Homura.

"Really, that's the first thing that comes to your mind?" It seemed that Mami could hear her voice through the speakers, and laughed.

"Can you please put Sakura-san on the phone…?" Kyoko snatched the phone.

"My sex life is none of your freaking business!"

"How big was it?" Mami said, still laughing. "Was he any good…?"

"Shut it!" Kyoko closed the phone and handed it back to Homura in frustration, and the group of four stood there for a while, Zusa stifling her "hehees" yet again. "Honestly though…" Kyoko said after a considerable silence. "He was really good, and didn't even love me… I'm sure he'll be able to make you really happy, like he did before. Zusa, let's get going." With that, the two groups split up, and Zusa couldn't control her laughter any more.

"Say, Zusa…" Kyoko said after she felt that Zusa was no longer thinking about the whole sex issue. The twintailed girl led the way through shopping districts with no particular aim in mind. "If all you care about is yourself, why didn't you kill Andy when you had the chance? I think there's more to it than just that you find him interesting… And what's so bad about it anyways?"

Zusa shrugged. "He'd be able to make Homura-san a lot happier than I ever would, to tell the truth, but it still wouldn't be the best she could have. I don't go way out of what's convenient for me just to make people upset, and it's not that big of a trouble if I help people once in a while. But generally, you can say I'm a naughty lying girl without morals."

"That reminds me…" Kyoko started. "What did you wish for when you became a Puella Magi?"

"On my world, it was a bit different. Girls didn't make contracts, and instead their subconscious wishes came true at their time of age or destiny. I wished for the power to tell whenever a person's lying – or should I say, I can tell their true intents. It's not really that great, as I can only use it when people say something, and I read what they believe rather than the actual truth, but it's still surprising how many liars there are in this world. Unfortunately, you don't have my power, so you can't really be sure if I'm trustworthy. But whether you believe me or not, all three of you said what you really felt during our talks."

"Then…" Kyoko looked for something important. "Does Andy really love Homura?"

"His belief that he loves her, and his feelings are sincere enough," Zusa said matter-of-factly. "But like I said, this only goes to what the person believes. There's no guarantee that he might do something dishonorable when the crucial time comes." Zusa stopped to look at an outfit with some interest, and Kyoko observed her gaze. "Think you'd look good in this?"

"I don't see why I'd have to wear so many different types of fashion," Kyoko said. "You don't really seem to be all that interested in the clothes, and yet you still are wearing something that looks expensive."

Zusa's smile was bitter yet nostalgic. "I remember I made my wish hoping to be able to reveal great truths to everyone, and show people how they were mistreated and were good inside… But now I sometimes just like to look at liars, and laugh inside. How should I put it? It kind of reassures my role in the world. Teenage girls lie a lot, so I ended up hanging out with them just for the very purpose of seeing them lie. Plus, it gives me an excuse to be out of the house now and then… My parents restrict my privileges if it seems I don't excel in both academic and social life in school. Anyways, I'm surprised at you." Zusa turned away from the outfit on display and looked Kyoko in the eye, amused. "Your past was much crueler than mine, and yet you still seek ideals. You weren't and aren't someone that's begging on the streets, who resorts to believing supposed morals and compassion to keep hope. You have power, yet you decided to spend it chasing after dreams instead of indulging in reality."

Kyoko frowned. "Well, what would you do in my position?"

"Well, to start with," Zusa said in a constant tone. "Why not kill me, then Homura-san? I'm sure you could find ways if you put your mind to it. Andy would be all yours, wouldn't he? He would probably even be nice enough to accept you as you cry in his arms feeling genuine guilt about the murders. You're all rather desperate, after all…"

"Don't spout crap like that," Kyoko cut off coldly. "I'll do whatever brings my friends and loved ones the most happiness, and that doesn't including bending their wills to my benefit."

"Ah, but didn't Sayaka Miki die because you didn't have the courage to yell at her, hug her violently, and talk her out of her despair? Maybe you're the one that knows what's good, and is just too scared…"

"Don't you dare mention her name again." Kyoko raised her arm as if pointing her spear, but knew that she would be bested by Zusa. Indeed, the other Puella Magi was already behind her. So she didn't even need to transform to wield her weapon, huh? The vroom of a motorcycle suddenly hummed in Kyoko's ears.

"Hop on," Zusa said, and Kyoko reluctantly got on the back seat of the vehicle. "I can summon this whenever I want." The crowd was still too busy with other things to even consider that the magical appearances they had just seen wasn't just an illusion. "Anyways, long motorcycle rides help me calm down, so they might help you, too."

After a while of cruising along the road at a suspicious pace, Kyoko decided the raise the issue. "It looks like I'll have to sleep out in an alley again this time…"

"You really can't restrain from requesting the boy?" Zusa asked, annoyed. "And he can't even restrain from rejecting you… All right, you can sleep at my house for however long it takes for those two to become a merry couple and invite you to their place. My parents don't mind too much as long as I keep up a decent public appearance."

"T-Thanks," Kyoko muttered. Zusa was still far from likable or trustworthy, but it didn't seem like a good idea to turn down this offer. Kyoko had gotten used to living under a stable roof for a while, after all. If she had anything up her sleeve, it would probably be futile resisting anyways. The only thing was that this girl seemed to have tight relations with Kyubey, for her to listen to its suggestions about saving the multiverse. If that cat-thing really had the conviction to manipulate Puella Magi into Witches on the old world, I'm not sure what it has in mind and what it can do with someone like Zusa on its side.

Homura and Andy didn't say anything for a while. The boy led the way to a nearby park, thoughts all over his mind and unsure of what to say. It seemed like Homura was observing his gestures and eye movement in a strange manner, as if she was interested yet not really interested. Finally, Homura decided to break the silence.

"Don't you have something to say to me? You seemed so eager to talk at the café."

Andy sighed. "Well, that's the thing. When I talk about something I care about, I can go on and on until it's no longer a discussion but a self-absorbed rant. I mean… I want to hear what you have to say, too."

"Don't you know everything about me?"

Andy focused his attention on a crack on the sidewalk for a while before he passed it. "If you observe even the most random of things, you'll notice all of the intricate texture and fine lining it has. Cracks within cracks, I suppose… And if you go deeper there are elements and atoms and sub-atomic particles. When you really love someone, you'll always be finding more and more about them, even if they're just little things that most people don't care about. Oh gosh. See what I mean by saying things that become self-absorbed rants?"

Homura observed the boy's face. His expression changed every half second, from crude jest to a childish play, from deep thought to extreme relaxation. She couldn't say whether or not it appealed to her more than an extraordinarily attractive but stoic face would. "Fine, then," Homura sighed. "Let me ask you something under an assumption. After you knew about me, what percentage of the time did you jack off to me?"

Andy looked down at the girl with a surprised expression. "That's rather… Blunt and awkward, I like it," Andy said as he scanned for body language for a while before proceeding to look away. "60-70 percent, I believe. At the very least, fifty."

Homura tried to hide a grim smile. "That's a lot. Do you really find me that attractive?"

Andy struggled to focus his eye on Homura. "I'm a pervert to quite an extent, but I still have the sense enough to say you're the most attractive being in the world. And besides… I don't know, I think I could've done it a lot more. To you, that is… It was almost like ecstasy just from imagining your warmth and voice and… But then it was almost like hell when it ended, even if I hugged the blankets. Tch," the boy looked back up at the sky. "I'm disgusting."

"…It's fine, you know? I would expect less by all of the availability of actual pornography… You brought the whole thing up at the café, I mean. If you haven't known… God, what did that Incubator show you? Anyways, I have to relieve myself from time to time as well… I'm not sure Madoka would entirely approve of that."

"…Ah," was all Andy could say. After a while the two stopped for a rest, and Homura took out her briefcase, bringing out a few worksheets.

"Sorry," Homura said. "But I didn't want to waste my time in case things got uninteresting. The number of assignments I'm getting has been increasing as well as the number of demons."

"C-Can I help you with that…?" Andy leaned over cautiously, not wanting to intrude upon personal space.

Homura sighed. "Sure. Sometimes I really think of dropping out all together, but I still have to live the normal life, and in today's economy probably have to go on to high school too… How old are you? You should be in a higher grade than me, so you might know some of these things."

"Sixteen," The boy answered, trying to look at the worksheets and not the pantyhose-covered thighs they were resting on. Math and science, huh…? "I was in eleventh grade, but I hope that's not too big of an age difference between us. Your school and surroundings look more advanced than mine… Maybe America is just falling behind these days. Speaking of which, it's rather convenient Kyubey installed the Japanese language in my brain upon heading here. Don't see why it wasn't wiped out by Zusa, though. Can I see your phone? I think I'll have to look this stuff up."

Homura restrained another sigh. "Couldn't hurt, I guess." Andy took the phone, typing on it awkwardly with only his right index finger. It looked like he wasn't the type to text much, huh… "Ah, here." The boy pointed, and explained what he had discovered rather clearly. Homura widened her eyes and wrote down the answers, doing the problems at a new ease. "…I'm glad I was of help to you," Andy said, returning the phone.

"You…" Homura said, bothering to look up for a bit. "Was anything disrupted when you left your other world? I imagine with that kind of comprehensive ability…"

"Don't mention it," Andy said bitterly. "I don't have any way of proving intelligence, but even if I did have talent… I just wasn't meant for worlds like that, or stuff like that in general. I hated classes and lectures, and hated having to learn specific things. The fear or being socially unaccepted or unsuccessful, or the pride in having a high score just wasn't enough for me, even if it was a rather academic-focused area in the state. I was probably going to have to take summer school…" The boy paused for a bit, contemplating the right words. "I didn't care about studying for a medical degree to save lives or cure cancer or some stupid stuff like that. I wanted to focus on things that mattered to me. Like…" The two met eyes.

"…Me," Homura finished, the shade of pink very slight but growing by the second. "What do you even love about me, anyways?"

Andy smiled and struggled to make eye contact, and Homura did the same, except without the smile. "It's probably not because you're a suffering girl and deserves better. There are millions of people on the world with similar or worse fates when you pick up a sad documentary in the news… Maybe it's me being an idiot and being attracted by it all. The idea of magic and wishes and time travel seems much more romantic than just comforting someone who's been through a lot and won't recover. You were fighting for something more than your life, as well, which is what many victims of long-term torture don't do. I think when I saw you with that kind of will to pursue your happy ending… It just seemed so beautiful. And like I said, you're rather attractive, and your voice is really pretty, so you were the most fitting person for me… To do something like you did for."

"You don't have powers in this world, though," Homura said with a jesting smile. "How would you propose to defeat the demons?"

"Well…" Andy laughed to himself. "I can help with homework, and more if you wish…"

"Hmph," Homura chuckled in response as she stood up from her seat and packed the worksheets. "Madoka… She would probably want me to make you happy as well. But you don't seem to be desperate to the very bone."

"At times, I would lie on the bed for two to three hours just thinking of you," Andy admitted, still not bothering to stand up. "Even though I could be doing my homework or studying or whatnot. At a period of time, I was even angry at myself for my sexual nature, and wished that I wasn't even male, or something of that sort. It felt like a large portion of the world, and my opportunities were slipping away from me. At the very least, this is the me that remained… Most of me. I don't consider the feelings I shared with friends at school, the jokes and such, to just be pretense and have no significance. It's just that anything that related to you triggered so much more pain and pleasure. I always had you on my mind, at least when I was awake. Pathetic, isn't it?"

Homura turned and offered the boy a hand, but when he took it she gripped it violently and pulled Andy up so hard that he almost stumbled to the ground. "I can understand your feelings, to an extent. Stalking someone and loving them like that… I suppose in your case, though, you didn't even have the opportunity to fight or reach out to me. But the thing is, you do now. Are you going to keep true to your word or are you going to make excuses?" The words were said in a stern yet amiable fashion.

"A normal human can do plenty against demons," Andy said with a smile. "Mankind has been the master of launching deadly manufactured projectiles for a while now. But getting you to like me and… Getting to the spot where I could comfort you would be something entirely different." Homura looked downwards, and noticed the boy's knees were shaking.

"I've noticed. You're painfully forcing yourself to make eye contact, right? You don't have to if you don't want to."

"Heh," Andy said, forcing himself to look at Homura yet again. "I probably have some mental problem that can't be clearly labeled. You may find it strange considering I said you're attractive, but… Maybe it's something to do with paranoia. Sometimes it felt like I could never trust anyone because they were just talking for the sake of social status, or about things they didn't really care about. I'm handing my trust and heart over to you, ready to let you break them, so I'll have to force myself to confront you…"

"Even if my eyes are just as empty and superficial as the rest?" Homura asked, and Andy flinched. "You remind me of my past self in this sense, although I was never approached by boys back then. It's rather cute, honestly… But about that thing you did on the phone… I would've never figured it out that quickly. Wouldn't it be more fitting to seek someone similar in that regard?"

"What?" Andy chuckled. "My supposed intelligence and sensitivity aren't really virtues. They've really just led me to being ambivalent and awkward. If it pleases you, we can hold idle chit-chat or gossip. The reason I structure my sentences the way I do, or wonder about things isn't because I aim to be smart or successful, or even right. I just like… Thinking, sometimes. Honestly, I'd rather just spend the time with you and see your lovely smile than hold angsty conversations about human nature with an unkempt woman."

"Hmph," Homura said, thinking. "Sorry to bring it up again, but how many times have you jacked off to me?" The Puella Magi led the way along the sidewalk.

"More than one hundred, probably," Andy said honestly. "I never did it out of obligation or anything. Sure, there were days where it felt less good than the others, but the thought of you was still extremely gratifying, both sexually and emotionally, and didn't rot away. As for how much we actually did it in the other world, I don't remember."

"Ah," Homura said, wondering what to question next. She kept her eyes off the boy to avoid pressuring him and seeing his nervous face. Behind her, Andy was staring at the shape of her hair as obsessively as he would look at her face. "And… You've been through this once already? Even if your memories aren't complete, I'm still surprised you don't seem bored…"

"This is a different you," Andy said, looking up at the sky. "But yeah. I'll do everything you did for Madoka, and more given the chance." Homura turned to face him. It was now time for some pressure.

"So you weren't lying at the café? You would really go through hell for me?" It seemed more like a demand from a goddess than a concern from a flattered princess.

"I think I would," Andy said without a stutter.

"You think?"

"I think, therefore I would," Andy said, causing Homura to smile, amused.

"Good enough." The girl turned and continued to lead the way. "You were still so lonely and distressed back then, huh…? The thought of Madoka fighting Witches for you didn't comfort you at all?"

Andy chuckled. "I don't think there were Witches on our world anyways, and if there were, we'd still have demons. The thing is that those… Those monsters and spirits are subconscious evils. But Madoka's wish and prayer doesn't free the people from their conscious evils, like hatred, greed, disappointment, intolerance… It just reduces some dramatic irony. In addition, people are rather picky. Even if it's just a slight difference, or even if people have free will and aren't connected to a soul mate from the beginning… Their will, their love isn't a choice. Even if one falls in love with an engineer that's similar to the infinite sea of engineers out there, that beloved one can't be replaced by anyone else. And I mean, you see Christians, who believe in God, want mundane and earthly things too. Call it greed if you may, but you're the only one that can ever completely satisfy me."

"Really… Didn't anything in your life give you meaning?"

"I don't think it's all about meaning," Andy paused to take a breath. "I mean, you can say anyone with a job knows that they're doing something, but for me, I need to be doing something I love. I wrote stories and drew some stuff, as a way of expression… But despite how self-centered I am, I'm really not satisfied with just my imagination. I wanted the real deal, to experience real magic and see the real you."

Homura turned once again, observing Andy's face, and then turned back, not interrupting the walking. "So I'm the first that you fell for? You really didn't have anyone else? With a face like yours… Well, that is if you kept it stoic or refrained from making expressions that were too animated… I'm sure many of the girls in my class would find such a face attractive. I mean, certainly you could've gotten a few dates."

"Meh," Andy said. "The closest thing I got to a date was sitting with a girl on a bench during tutorial talking about random things, mostly me just asking hypothetical questions cause that's how I usually bring up philosophy. There were a few stupid incidents earlier, but that's more of just love for excitement and conversation rather than the actual person. Mostly, I feel I would be asking someone out that I really didn't know, since that's precisely how things happen in the real world. And more than that, I would have to make small talk and meaningless conversation before actually confronting their beliefs and dreams and identities. It seems much more romantic and legitimate in this creepy stalker sort of sense, you know? When your love can go on for eternities one-sided, then you know it's true. It's just I want you for more than the sake of having a girlfriend or lover. I want…" Andy took a deep breath, unsure of whether to say something.

"Go on," Homura said, turning an eye in the boy's direction. "You want to be honest after all, right?"

"I want to take you away to the corner of the world, and live together with you for the rest of time." Andy's voice began to tremble. "I don't want that thought, 'oh, he's got a girlfriend, good for him', I want you and only you, and no one has to know about it. It's just like how no one could understand your suffering for Madoka. It's precious because it's not something people sell to appear honorable or courageous or virtuous, it's just a simple kind of love that demands nothing in return."

Homura brushed one of her bangs. "You see me in too much of a positive light. Certainly, you haven't seen all of the time loops I've been through, but I've done some unpleasant things. There were times…" Homura's voice began to shake. "That I just did terrible things, and didn't know why, but I was consciously doing them. Sometimes I would even go to the lengths of seducing or assaulting Madoka. I would hate her and love her at the same time, and every time I would just turn back time…"

"That's okay, Homura," Andy said firmly, but Homura didn't turn to him. "Even though I knew that the Homura in the other world might've not exactly been the whole 'you', well…" The boy looked up at the drifting clouds. "Loving someone is more than just respecting their strong points; it's about loving their weaknesses as well as forgiving them. I'll love the strong Homura and the weak Homura, the angry Homura and the gentle Homura. They're all the same person to me. It's vicious and cruel sometimes, I know. I abandoned my world to come here for you, and would at every chance, but I would do more than that. I would destroy the world completely, and murder billions of innocents for you. After all…"

"I'm a terrible person, huh?" Homura looked up at the clouds as well, perhaps seeing what Andy was seeing. "But Madoka… Wouldn't like that, would she? Even if I did all that for her, it's not something she would approve of. Thanks a lot for saying that, even if it is a bit cliché." Homura sighed, and then looked at the cracks in the ground that passed by. "I think… I don't know, if Madoka ever loved me, it was just out of her kindness in general for everything in the world. She's amazing, really… But yet, I continued to stalk her, even if my love was different than hers. Although I don't frown upon Kyoko's affection for her, I didn't like Sayaka Miki – you know who that is, right? – I didn't like her because she gave up on her love due to her circumstances. And here, in this case, you're the one without magical powers, and yet you're still so powerful. I don't hate you, Andy. Keep it up, won't you?"

Andy smiled, embarrassed. "Ah… Thanks. On the whole thing of me being honest and such, though, and my love overcoming morals… I don't think there's a true moral rule. People are born with two passions, an inner sense of compassion, and a whimsical, perhaps self-righteous nature for food, comfort, and revenge. I won't judge anyone that picks the latter, but I'll live under the assumption that you like a person that abides by most moral standards, though, and that's convenient for most of society anyways. It would be a bit better if everyone didn't have such big egos, but I guess not everyone can be like Madoka. People really aren't that much more important than the animals on the rest of the planet just because they can feel more pain or feel more compassion. But honestly, how is a boy supposed to be likable these days? People used to like Shakespeare's tragedies, tales about the sad downfall of idealistic love and honor. Now people call such heroes in shonens and such 'generic' and admire those acting on individual passions, calling them 'badasses'."

"…Honestly, just keep going on," Homura said after a pause. "You're not done yet, are you?"

Andy shrugged. "I guess… We need selfishness in this world. A lot of inventions and discoveries weren't made for the sake of making the world a better place, or at least it doesn't seem so. It would be ideal if everyone could forget about all the mundane things and just focus on honor and morality like a Stoic, but in a way, it's almost fun to be chained and led astray by our individual passions." Andy sighed. "I guess in a sense, all you really want is Madoka, though. I'm just a source of entertainment, right?"

"I'm holding a conversation, and making someone happy," Homura said. "After Madoka became a goddess, I just felt empty, I mean. I had gotten used to fighting for someone for almost an eternity, and can't get used to the thought of just making the world a better place. Even in an act of mere conversation like this, you're really happy, right? Happier than I could make Kyoko or Mami or any of my friends… I know I'm not obligated to do anything, but the truth is that you're helping me get through life."

"…Ah," Andy said, flushing. "…Yeah. I'm happy. I don't have too much to talk about now though, but just walking with you… Why are you believing me so easily? You're not even looking into my eyes, after all."

"The tone and the manner you state your sentences, it's genuine," Homura said simply. "Your passions and reasoning are all honest and not meant to impress anyone. Maybe that's the wisdom of not making eye contact. It's a whole different story if you'd act like this in bed with someone, though."

Andy smiled. "Yeah. I guess." As Homura passed a bookstore, the boy called out to her. "Wait a second. You want to go check that bookstore out? I guess this version of me really isn't that used to exercise, so I'd tired out if we spent the entire afternoon just walking." The park had been passed a while ago, and now malls and shops lined the backgrounds.

"Sure," Homura turned with a curious expression, and the two entered the store. "Do you read a lot in your spare time, or anything?"

"I used to," Andy said. "But not too much about proven facts and such. Back in middle school, I sort of just felt the obligation that I should read good stories. It changed when I started writing my own stuff, though… Maybe I'm more immersed in my thoughts? In any case, most of the philosophies I bring up are just stuff I thought of on my own. It's a habit of mine to ask random questions about some things. Maybe I just have too much time on my hand, and that's the only source of my intelligence, average or not."

"Ah," Homura said as she walked over to the recent bestsellers aisle with Andy shadowing her. "I honestly don't do too much in general these days, but I prefer reading over watching TV. I don't have much spare time anyways since I have to live on my own and fight demons on top of schoolwork… I guess maybe if I had more time in the world, I'd just waste it away on the bed fantasizing about Madoka, huh?"

"…Yeah," Andy said. None of the novels really seemed to have an appeal to him as he flipped through them and scanned the blurbs on the back. "Mind if I check out another aisle, or something?"

"Go ahead." Andy hovered around the foreign and classic literature section, and then drifted to philosophy. It was around half an hour before the boy decided which ones he would buy, and Homura was hovering around, looking bored.

"You're actually going to buy stuff?" she asked.

Andy shrugged. "Yeah, I guess you could just get them at the library, but the thought of owning something instead of renting it out still appeals to me. Did I make you wait long?" The boy only had two books in his hands. He seemed quite finicky about them.

"It's fine," Homura said as the couple walked to the cashier and the boy paid for the books. They were carried in a bag on the way out, and a silence fell between the two again.

"Hmm, let's see how much I have for dinner…" Andy said as he checked his wallet. "Not too bad, huh…?"

"What's your financial position here, anyways?" Homura asked. "I would assume your parents didn't magically appear here as well, and that a part-time job wouldn't make enough money to support you… Sorry about yesterday, my mind just sort of blanked out." Today, they had each paid equally, although Andy paid Kyoko's expenses.

Andy shrugged. "On my world, I hated school, and was rather fed up with myself as well for going there every day. Well, in America, high school was mandatory, but I probably could've figured something out if I tried. In any case, I'm working at some animation company here, thanks to some string-pulling I managed... Well, I think that usually you'd have to go to high school for such a job. I was always interested in the art, and you could say I had more talent than my peers in the field. But then again, our school was more focused on math and sciences, so there weren't many passionate people even in electives. It was more about being formal than anything else. I did dream of becoming a novelist 9th grade or so, but the editing and interviews and all is just a bother that I'd avoid, even if I don't receive much credit in this job."

"Ah…" Homura said. "So you've found something you like… That's good," she said as she looked into the distance, and led the pace again. "I guess I'll find out what I'll do in high school, huh?"

"I saw a lot of people that didn't want anything but to go to college and make money," Andy said. "But maybe that's just most of the world. Don't push yourself too hard, I mean. You've been through a lot, so maybe you'll need a few more years to clear your mind." There was a silence, and then suddenly Homura turned sharply to the right. "…A demon?"

"Leave this to me," Homura said and began running, and Andy desperately began to chase her, both ignoring the traffic that was going right by them. "Don't drag yourself into trouble! What do you expect to do with that bag of books, anyways?"

"I'll actually be more useful than you think!" Andy claimed, struggling to catch his breath. Damn. For a girl with that body, Homura ran relatively fast. "I can be either used as bait, or scout his weak points if the demon ignores me…"

"It's like you said, though," Homura stopped upon reaching the mist. It was near a riverbank, and the grey miasma covered the view of the water. "I can't turn back time anymore, or resurrect you or anything if things start to go wrong." Andy was panting as he put down his bookbag. "Wait, you're dropping that? It's the only weapon you have…"

"I'd rather have them not go crumbly," Andy said with a grim smile. "Is there that big of a penalty if you don't hunt this demon?" The boy remembered how things had happened in that other world… "Demons" were male counterparts of Witches.

Homura turned back towards the mist. "It's what Madoka would want… And the Soul Gem is purified every time you slay one of them. Mine hasn't been doing too well recently. You'll see." Andy gulped as Homura entered the mist, apparently accepting his offer to help. "That's odd. You still can see everything, can't you?" The mist thinned out, and it took the place of a 19th century village. So the demons on this world still were unique, huh? "They were all the same when Madoka first recreated the world, making for easy kills by brute force. But around a month or so, they gradually began to take different forms and hide different weakspots. Let's see that intelligence of yours come into play, shall we?"

The demon burst out of the ground, around three times the size of a human. It had a humanoid shape, except the head was missing, and the two arms were raised at ninety degree angles, holding a two-sided broom, one side burning with fire and the other swirling with ice. A mass of tentacles sat beneath its body.

"Try a test shot first," Andy said, and Homura fired a purple arrow at the creature. The violet energy bounced off the blue barrier and dissipated, and the demon merely shifted its posture. "I don't play that many video games," Andy said, thinking. "But if you can redirect any fire or ice it throws to the other element its wielding with that weapon-thing, you might be able to neutralize that barrier."

"Does it look like there's a mirror that can do that around here?" The Puella Magi asked only seconds before a ball of fire smashed into the ground where she was standing, and began to spread rapidly. Andy started to run in a random direction, but the demon didn't as much as turn its head. Looks like he's pretty lousy bait, Homura thought grimly.

"Maybe it's preoccupied with the people it's currently haunting," Andy guessed after he was a safe distance away from the flames. "Perhaps we'll be able to find them somewhere in this arena and use them as bait." Homura knitted her eyebrows upon that suggestion.

"You go ahead and do that," Homura said, spreading the blackish-purple wings and moving up into the air. "I'll try to take this thing down the normal way."

Andy sighed as he moved around the houses, looking through the window for people. "Try to get it to fire his ice, if he has any. Time freeze all of the flames he throws or something."

I was planning to do that anyways, Homura thought as she shot arrows at the flames coming towards her, and the fire spreading on the ground. "I do have a limit of time arrows I can fire, just to let you know," Homura called to Andy on the ground. "It has its ups and downs, as they'll remain suspended that way indefinitely until I fire more time-arrows, but the portion of space I can freeze is limited compared to how it was before…" Homura looked down to see the boy dragging a middle-aged man from one of the houses. That was fast enough… "He looks like the victim, now what?"

The demon turned to see the victim, and then turned back to Homura, trying to decide which to deal with first. A bolt of ice was shot towards the Puella Magi, and the girl swiftly dodged to see the flames that she had frozen all ignite again. "So the ice really is the neutralizer…" Andy observed as he clambered onto a few boxes, and then onto a roof with the unconscious man in his hands. The flames were taking up quite a scary portion of the ground now. "Okay, I think this'll be good bait. Try freezing the ice alone once it reaches a few feet away from me, and then draw the demon's flame part of its broom into the frozen area…"

"Easier said than done," Homura muttered as Andy turned to the demon, making the victim flail is limp arms as if it was a puppet. That actually looked pretty funny, even in the midst of such a serious scenario. The demon eventually turned towards the victim and the young man, and shot a bolt of ice towards them. With precise aim, the bolt of ice stopped in time around an arm's length away from Andy's face, and the boy quickly snapped out of his flinching position.

"You didn't see that," Andy claimed as the demon took to the air and started charging straight towards him at a surprising speed. "Wait…"

"Geez," Homura sighed as the demon landed on the roof, its tentacles groping the air and ready to wrap around the two men. Everything was angled almost perfectly, surprisingly… With a flick of her hand, the Puella Magi unfroze the ice, sending it straight towards the flaming portion of the demon's weapon. A mist of steam and smoke rose through the air, and Homura used the distraction to swoop down and pick the boy up, flying him away from the disoriented beast. "You're nowhere as attractive when you're being saved," Homura said to Andy as the boy enjoyed the warmth, but tried to focus on the battle. "Ugh, carrying two people is just ridiculously heavy…"

"…If it's not too much, could you freeze as much of the fire as possible that's on the ground now?" Andy said nervously. Homura dropped the boy and the victim near a safe building, and shot five arrows near the outside of the spreading flames. The Puella Magi turned dramatically, with a dead serious look in her eye.

"If this plan doesn't work, I'm never going on a date with you again." Andy had seemed all right up to now, but it felt like he was really stepping out of place in battle.

"And if this plan does work, let's go on a date tomorrow," the boy said with a grim smile. Suddenly, a harsh blizzard started coming from afar, and the two struggled to get inside the house, carrying the limp body with them. "Well, there are more unpleasant ways than freezing like this…." Homura gave the boy a sharp glare, and Andy looked down, ashamed. "Sorry. To be honest, this might not work, but if there's one thing people dislike more than a generic hero, it's the boy that never has the guts to do anything and is always being covered."

"Just tell me what you planned already," Homura said as she looked out the window.

"We'll leave the victim here," Andy said calmly. "I might stay here as well, to be honest. With your own weight, you can carry yourself through a few seconds of blizzard, right? Anyways, once you get close to the demon, unfreeze the flames. I don't think it's moved too far from its original position, as it seemed blinded by that steam."

"If you die, don't blame me," Homura said as she pushed open the doors, closed them, and took to the air. The black wings cut through the snow and the heavy blizzard, and the Puella Magi sensed the demon's essence near. The flames unfroze with a flick of the hand, and massive clouds of steam started rising everywhere. The demon groaned unpleasantly, and Homura held her breath. Through the thick grey mist, she could see the demon struggling to maintain itself, both of the sides of its broom charred to ash. So that worked after all. A violet arrow went straight towards the monster, and with that it fell to the ground, tentacles twitching in vain.

The world cleared soon enough, and Andy appeared right next to the Puella Magi with the unconscious middle-aged man. There were a few empty beer bottles on the grass besides them, and Andy set the man down next to them. "I don't think we'll have to take care of him too much," Andy said flatly. "He can probably just shake it off as a drunken hallucination. But yayyyy," The boy looked up at the sky. "I get another date with you, don't I?"

"If you act like an ass, I have the freedom to end it anytime I please…" Homura said, not knowing where to set her eyes. She had transformed back into the school uniform, and still felt wisps of smoke in her throat. "I'll have to admit that you made it go faster than usual, though. What sort of video game involved this stuff?"

"Actually…" Andy admitted, tracking his eyes to the ground and to the beer bottles. "I don't know if you've taken World History yet. As for me, even though I wasn't that interested, I do remember the strategy of the Russians when Napoleon tried to invade their country. They set fire to their own land as they retreated, so the invading armies wouldn't have anything to live on and would starve in the winter… Well, what we just did was different, but I've always wanted to apply that in a real scenario. I guess the smoke seemed equivalent to starving the enemy. It wasn't a very smart demon, either."

"The sun's setting," Homura noticed as she headed back up the slopes. "I guess we're heading back to eat dinner." Andy hid a smile and followed the girl. There were a lot more things that he wanted to talk about, not to mention the thoughts of physical contact, as cheesy as it was… But for now, this was enough.

"What sort of guy would you like anyways?" Andy asked as he jogged up to Homura's side. For the most of today, they hadn't really stood next to each other, but now that the moment was there, Andy could see that he was still almost a head taller than the girl. "Because in that last world I smashed and carried with brute force, should I say? So what is it? Muscles, magic or intellect?"

"I don't really like guys," Homura responded bluntly. Andy grimaced, wondering if that really meant she was just homosexual and not anything more. "But I guess you've earned another date. Really though, for the most part, I just want help with my homework. Mami's a year older than me, tutors were annoying, and my classmates were annoying…" The boy could tell that she was probably serious about this, and wasn't just embarrassed. Still, it felt nice to him to have at least some use.

The couple met up with Zusa and Kyoko soon enough, surprised to see them on motorcycle. "So what did you guys do?" Zusa asked as she and Kyoko got off and dissipated the bike. "There really wasn't too much point in buying stuff…" Zusa looked at the bag Andy was carrying. "A bookstore? How romantic."

The boy shrugged. "Better than the movies, in my opinion. We also fought a demon."

"I guess you're meaning that you watched Homura fight a demon, but you came up with some lame strategy," Zusa said as she turned and led the way. "Don't worry too much about what we'll do for the night. Kyoko's staying at my place." Andy tried not to make his relief visible. "Well, how about it, Homura-san? Are you two going on another date or what?"

"I made a bet with him," Homura admitted. "His lame strategy actually helped with the demon. Plus, I do need help with my homework." None of the other three asked Zusa where they were eating. The group ended up at some European restaurant, and an awkward tension rose between them. Kyoko seemed to lose her usual appetite, eating at the pace a normal girl would, although sitting in a womanly posture. Zusa and Homura both looked like they were in deep thought and didn't seem to be looking at anything in particular. Andy ate with his usual appetite, even after experiencing such a supernatural event.

It was a while before anyone said anything. "You seem to be focusing a bit too much on the food," Zusa said to Andy, half-finished with her plate. "Don't you have anything you want to talk about?"

"Not too fond of talking while eating," the boy said as he stabbed at his salad. "I don't know, the way people talk while eating seems a bit phony. Okay, maybe I have nothing to talk about."

"Then you better come up with some interesting activities on the next date," Zusa said. Andy smirked, amused.

"Seems it was a lot simpler in older days, even if it was supposedly refined. A couple would meet at a ballroom, see each other and fall in love, and then dance. I'll say that I do enjoy challenges, but I still want to have a clear idea of what I'm supposed to do here."

"I don't care much for manners," Zusa said, shifting the topic. "But it doesn't even seem like you're savoring the stuff at all. You're just cramming it down."

"Well, I don't think that food should be one of the primary pleasures in life," Andy said as he reached to wipe his mouth, and then drew back to wipe it with a napkin. "It's not exactly the act of eating together with friends or family that appeals to me, it's just being together with them with eating as an excuse. Okay, I didn't really like many meals I shared either, to tell the truth…"

"Andy," Homura said out of the blue. "It's fine to keep calm and all, but next time, the demon might aim straight for you. If you value your own life, don't disregard it by being immersed in your own thoughts in the midst of battle."

"Right," Andy said, comforted rather than ashamed for some reason. After a pause, he added, "It feels kind of sad, though, Homura. Even if you don't really like me, the two of us will still be going home alone."

"Here," Homura said as she cut off a small lock of her hair with her knife. "Find something perverted to do with it." Andy received the hair tentatively and put it in his pocket. The four finished their meals and went their own ways in the warm and lighted night.

When Zusa arrived at her house with Kyoko, Zusa's dad was sitting in the living room watching TV with a few bottles of beer. His stature and appearance looked rather gentlemanly for someone that would engage in such an act. "I'm home," Zusa said in a rather sweet voice.

"Oh, Zusa-chan?" Her dad asked, looking up from the flickering screen. "There's no need to be formal. Say what you need to say before I get disoriented, as I'm still on my first drink." Oddly, after saying that, Zusa's dad took another swig of the bottle.

"This is a friend of mine, Kyoko Sakura," Zusa said bluntly. "Her family has a few problems, so she'll be staying here for a while."

"Kyoko Sakura-san?" Zusa's dad looked at the two girls again, trying to find something odd about them. "As expected Zusa-chan, you always have such cute friends. She needs some better clothing, though. Just remember not to let it slip in public, okay?"

Kyoko was only slightly disturbed at the comments as Zusa led the way through the long halls to her bedroom. "Yeah, it's a pretty big house," Zusa admitted. "And see what went between us two there? It's much easier when you practice lying; it's even a form of trust." Kyoko didn't reply as the two girls entered Zusa's bedroom. "So, what would you like? Couch or the bed? If you choose bed, you'll have to share with me."

"I'll take the couch, I guess." Kyoko tried to put on a cool air around her again, but it was failing.

"Just take the damn bed," Zusa said as she pushed the redhead onto the mattress. "I won't do anything naughty to you. Hang on, I'm going to take a shower." Kyoko lay on the bed for a while, and a strange feeling of both loneliness and warmth came over her. Zusa came back after twenty minutes or so, her untied hair mostly dried and in her pajamas. "Oh yeah. Change." Kyoko caught the spare pajamas and put them on awkwardly. Zusa wasn't staring, but she wasn't looking away, either.

"…Don't you have more to say about Homura?" Kyoko said once she was done with the clothes. "Given your powers, I assumed you've already tried to dimension-leap for personal reasons, or something."

"Yes," Zusa tried to say coolly as she dimmed the lights. "Kyubey said it was fine if only once. I tried to have a relationship with her… It didn't work out. This power of mine is really exhausting, you know? It's not my role to love or fall in love, or care too much about other people." Zusa threw herself on the bed right next to Kyoko. "It's my duty to not get too involved as a bearer of truth."

Kyoko turned over in the bed, wondering if Zusa would be unsettled if she brushed up against her. Even then, she could feel her body warmth… It was the same among males and females. Just the thought of sleeping with another human being made her feel a little better. "I don't suppose there's any way to bring back Sayaka?" Kyoko asked in a depressed voice. "I keep replaying her final moments in my head… Even if it was different for the universe I was in, I feel like a coward. I could've reached out and hugged her, or something. Only I didn't…"

"There's no way I know of…" Zusa said, but stopped her statement upon thinking. "Hey. Turn over," Zusa flipped the redhead over, and the two girls were inches away from each other. "You wanted to get her back in the world with the Witches, to the extent that you tried calling out to the Witch with Madoka. So I guess I shouldn't say that. Let's say there is a way, but it's an unpleasant secret."

Kyoko looked at Zusa with distraught eyes. "Good enough," Kyoko said as she turned over again. There came to be a pause between the two, and Zusa wondered why she was hesitating to ask the question.

"When you had sex with Andy… Was it all unprotected, or…?"

Kyoko flushed and turned over again. "Y-Yeah… Um, he told me to buy one of the 'Morning After' pills, but I didn't…"

"And you knew?" Zusa said sternly, but then clapped Kyoko on the shoulder lightheartedly. "Just kidding. The rules that were in place for the last world apply here too. Puella Magi can't get pregnant. Of course, it wasn't me persuading Kyubey that pregnant girls wouldn't be able to fight Witches or demons effectively, it was just a rule I was allowed to put in place because I wanted to avoid inconveniences."

"O-Oh…" Kyoko muttered. Zusa frowned as she rolled over so she was back to back with Kyoko.

"What's with you, anyways? If you just want to find proof that there are people your age that still hold idealistic beliefs about the world, there's no need to go that far. Well, then again, I guess most of those people are a lot dumber or hard to put up with than Andy… Or was it that you wanted to believe that you're suitable for carrying someone's seed, and wanted to force it upon a guy that wouldn't blow up at you?" Kyoko remained silent, and Zusa turned over on her back. She wanted to sigh as she looked up at the ceiling. Maybe she should've just let Kyoko take the couch.

Homura felt odd, in a somewhat good way, as she went to bed that night. How could she put it? It was rather comforting to know that there were people like her… No, she should say that there were people that felt the way she did. Even if it constituted some sort of love polygon, it was nice to know about Andy's existence… However, coexisting with him might be something else entirely.

Why not just put him up to a few more tests? Homura decided. It's not like you're in any grave danger of falling in love with him, at least for the moment. He could certainly help with more homework, and fights with demons, and maybe household things… In addition, I guess I shouldn't make him cut his own arms off or something, but I could probably get him to do other interesting things. This person is probably a useful investment, but that doesn't necessarily mean I have to love or even like him. Of course, I can't say that he's just a tool to me.

…Even then, it was nice to hear what he had to say about love, and emotions, and the world. Maybe those statements could be found in plenty of fragments or poetry or literature, but hearing someone young and sincere say it in the present was a different thing entirely. All of a sudden, Homura felt a lot more passionate as she felt her underwear getting wet. She dreamt of Madoka, of hugs and kisses with her as she pulled down her pajamas halfway. Maybe a few rooms besides her, Andy was dreaming of Homura in the exact same way, but that didn't disturb her a bit as she started to reach down with her fingers.

A few rooms besides Homura, Andy was lying on the bed, thoughts of the past, present, and future swarming his mind. He had been able to get up and read for a while, but had decided to stop after twenty or thirty pages. Now that all of his daydreams actually seemed possible of occurring, he wanted to have as many of them as possible when away from Homura.

He knew the events that had occurred in the past world, but had forgotten how they felt. The boy bunched up the blankets beside him and pressed his body against them, wondering, dreaming. Would Homura's body be softer or harder than these? He could still smell the faintest scent of Kyoko's body, and thought of how different Homura would smell, even if it was just a little. It's odd how unevenly Zusa wiped my memories, the boy thought. He had forgotten how to cook anything more than simple meals, but he could still do his job, speak Japanese, and pleasure a girl among other things.

Andy pulled out the lock of hair Homura had given him, and turned it over in his hands again. He tried to smell it, to taste it, to observe and feel all of it with his dull senses. It was so smooth and elegant, unlike his hair which clumped up in tufts. It was too short to wrap around anything, but he kept it in his pocket.

Unproductive thoughts began to fill Andy's head again. To hug her, and feel her warmth, and hold her tightly, forever and ever… Maybe that was something he wasn't even close to accomplishing, but it felt that he had covered a few steps in a staircase with ten thousand of them. And what's more, he had a date tomorrow… Tomorrow, tomorrow.

Soon the boy had become aroused, and pleasured himself with more energy and vigor than before. It was actually possible now, at least. Even if she'd never be as close to me as I want right now, I can make her happy in other ways, now that I know she actually exists. There is that statement "existence is wonderful" that I often force myself to say. But now it could be said "existence is wonderful!" with will and conviction.

Homura had just finished breakfast when she heard her doorbell ring. She opened up to see Zusa and Kyoko, both in casual and completely different clothes than yesterday. Zusa was carrying a lightweight bag in her right hand. "Still in your pajamas, are you?" Zusa asked, not bothering to intrude as she tossed a set of clothing onto the couch. "I just thought you might need some better clothes for your date." Date? Ah, that's right, she had a date… For some reason, Homura really felt like just going back to bed and fantasizing about Madoka again, but she supposed this was better for her. "Kyoko and I will find you two around 1 or 2. I promised some of my phony friends to hang out with them for a while. See ya!" With that, Zusa was off, leaving Homura and Kyoko in an awkward situation.

"Are you coming along?" Homura said after gazing at the clothing and then back at Kyoko. "I wouldn't mind, and don't think Andy would, either…"

"Nah," Kyoko looked to the side. "I'll just hit the arcades again."

"How's your Soul Gem?" Homura asked after another brief pause. The subject was rather touchy, but had to be asked. "I wouldn't want yours to deteriorate in the manner Sayaka Miki's did…"

Kyoko reached into her new shirt, and held out the bright red object. There were some specks of grief in them, but it looked all right for the time being. "Zusa let… Well, she wanted me to sleep with her last night. It actually wasn't bad, I think I turned over in the middle of it, but she didn't mind. In any case, it feels a lot less lonely with someone else."

"Ah," Homura said. "That's good. Well then, see you." As she closed the door, Kyoko put out a hand.

"Wait," The redhead said awkwardly. "Andy really loves you, so…"

"I got it," Homura said with a friendly smile. "I'll try not to let him let himself get killed." That was an awkward way to put things, but it worked. With that, Homura closed the door, and changed into the new outfit Zusa had given her. All of her casual clothing was now too small for her, being bought before she had been in all of that hospital stuff, after all. She didn't think she looked too bad in her school uniform, but casual clothing was probably more comfortable. It turned out to be rather loose-fitting, but it wasn't in danger of slipping off and pretty comfortable. A smooth bluish-black jacket covered a green T-shirt, and the black dress she was wearing almost reached her knees. Homura began heading out her apartment when she realized something. Taking her briefcase, she decided she would get some homework done as well.

When the girl went into the hallway of the apartment complex, she realized that she had no idea where she was supposed to meet up. It was the exact same time when Andy jumped out from his position pressed against the wall with a "Boo!". Homura gave him a look of disinterest.

"Lame," the girl said as she led the way out of the building. Andy paused for a bit, as if casually turning something over in his head. "I'm not pulling your hand if you don't keep the pace," Homura said and with that, the boy stumbled after her. The two let silence envelop them for a while before reaching the bottom of the stairs.

"So," Andy said awkwardly as always. "You look pretty good in those clothes. Whereas me, I just look like the average male teenager that you can say _needs_ a girlfriend. Baggy shorts and a T-shirt, you know? Wait, here in Japan how should a date go for them to be considered boyfriend or girlfriend? I mean…"

"You should've left it at 'you look pretty good in those clothes'," Homura said as the two walked along the sidewalk. After a short time, she realized that if he had actually left it at that, she would be prompted to say the phony "oh, thank you!" that normal girls said. Maybe it was better with such mindless drivel.

"Continuing where I left off," Andy said, "I don't really like the term boyfriend and girlfriend anyways. I mean, it sounds so mundane. I'd rather use the terms 'lover' and 'beloved' which I guess is genderless, but that's just more romantic even if it causes problems." Homura didn't reply. "Where are we going, exactly?"

"Library," Homura replied. "I guess I want to get the homework out of the way." Andy tried not to let Homura see the disappointed expression on his face, which was relatively easy because he was behind her.

The couple appeared at the library soon enough, and Homura was getting tired of the math worksheets, and swapped out different things. "This is just rote memorization," Andy said as he looked at the science and history handouts. "I'm afraid I can't help you too much with that."

"How about this, then?" Homura took out an English textbook. An odd grin spread across Andy's face. "What?"

"Nothing. Just thinking how ridiculous accents can sound sometimes. It is kind of unfair you have to learn this stuff, especially things like Shakespeare's plays which aren't even that relevant, but I'm not one to actually do much about it. That's just what school is nowadays, rote memorization and repetitive structures, even in analytical essays."

"Anyways…" Homura cleared her throat. "Accommodation." Andy stifled a chuckle. "Animosity… Ambivalence… Affectation." On that fourth word, Andy burst into laughter, although he tried to maintain it at a volume fit for the library. "Oh, I suppose you're so confident in your pronunciation?"

"I think my vocal cords are still up to it," Andy said. "Affectation." The word came out fluently. "Definition… To act in a way to please others, but in a manner more like kissing up. Just like, being pretentious. Wait, I think I loved how that word sounded in English. 'Pretentious'."

"Pretentious…" Homura said in English, making the boy reel back in laughter again. Homura switched back to Japanese. "Is it really that funny…?"

"Well, it's a bit funnier since you're saying it," Andy looked away, embarrassed. "You have a really pretty voice, you know that? Especially when you sound sincere, and not in a formal way. I mean…" Andy paused for an uncomfortably long period of time.

"Thanks," Homura said. "I guess you've proved there are a lot better things to do with you than homework." The girl began packing up, and wondered what to do next.

"Want to play a game?" Andy asked. Homura looked at what the boy carried with him. Absolutely nothing. "We'll just like, stare into each other's eyes until one of us bursts into laughter. Ever heard of that?"

"No," Homura said, and began staring. The boy stared back, and fifteen or so seconds passed before Homura intentionally smiled, just to provoke a reaction. Eventually, Andy smiled and began to laugh madly, and Homura did as well. "What, did I really look that funny?"

"It's just when a girl's staring with a smile, kind of creepy… I mean it's one thing to look shocked, but oh man," Andy regained his composure. "Still, you looked really cute there. I mean it."

"Try not to throw too many compliments at me," Homura sighed. "When people say that, it feels they have nothing better to say. Isn't that a girl thing, to compliment on what looks good because they don't have much psychological complexity?"

Andy thought for a bit, and then responded. "…Well, I mean, if you see a painting of a man being stabbed by a lion and a tree growing out of the man's back, are you just going to ignore the fact that it's pretty just because it has a deeper meaning? Sometimes, that's all you can really say, for lack of words." Homura looked like she was about to reply, but she stopped. "Then again, I guess I don't seem to be a man of few words." The boy paused for a bit, about to bring up another subject. "It felt like my parents' romance wasn't much special… I don't know. Watch a movie and study together. I'm not sure what I want to do to make this moment of ours much more precious."

"Parents…" Homura said, thinking. "You might've heard some confessions from me in the last world, but I feel they just sort of sent me here and assumed someone would take care of me. I don't know, as a problem. Maybe they didn't care too much if it was a guy or a girl, or what we did…"

"I don't know, I think my parents wanted me to marry a normal girl, and not to fall for a magical one from another dimension. They definitely frowned upon me not 'applying myself' in school… But it seems to me that that's not how the world should work. I mean, if you look at most animals, their reproductive success and their influence on their society is determined largely by luck, or the genes they receive. I guess humans have tried to make it fairer, but since most of our abilities are influenced by our surroundings rather than our DNA, parents should let their kids spread a little more, as we're one of the few species to have the individual be capable of doing so much. It was one thing to hold a revolution and overthrow rulers in the past, but now politics and media are so much more accessible… Yeah, it's risky, but I'd rather have a world that continues to change. I'm sorry, I don't know where I'm going with this. In any case, it's amazing to think teenage girls capable of so much power. Puella Magi, I mean…"

"In the real world, even or especially someone like you seems to be capable of doing a lot," Homura said. "And you settle for me, huh?"

Andy sighed. "Let's move somewhere else. Forget all about it. Screw psychological depth." The couple left the library, and Homura led the way to an old abandoned playground.

"Most of the stuff here seems to be in good condition," Homura observed. "No one comes here because of something that had happened a few years ago. Apparently one of the kids was kidnapped, and never found. The kidnapper's body or something was found bloodied and murdered somewhere around here. There are ghost stories and such, but I hope you're not too scared of such things. In any case, there's a new playground nearby that doesn't have such an unsettling background."

"Hmm…" Andy said as he looked at the surroundings. "Bring me here for any reason in particular?"

"Yes," Homura said with a dead serious expression as she turned to the boy. "I think I found what I wanted." Homura knelt down and picked up a pinecone, shoving it in Andy's face. "Eat this for me, will you?"

"I assume hell is a lot worse, but I might go there if I choke…" Andy said coolly. "All right then." He snatched the pinecone out of Homura's hands, and started munching on it with conviction, struggling to crush the plates and spikes with his back teeth. He tore chunks out of the thing one at a time, awkwardly. The look on his face was one of frustrated determination rather than misery. Homura just stood there shocked for a while, and then slowly began to giggle.

"That's all right. Andy, you can spit it out now."

"It's actually not so bad once you get used to it," Andy said as he continued crunching away at the pinecone. Ugh, Homura thought. Did he just… swallow? "Sure, it's bitter, but I think there's worse."

"Spit it out," Homura said sternly. "I revoke my past self's command." With that, Andy dropped the pinecone and spit out what was left in his mouth, letting it drop slowly rather than retching with disgust.

"Any more challenges?" Andy asked, wiping the saliva off his mouth. "It'd probably be better if you don't destroy my body, though. Or at least, try to maintain all of my limbs and digits. They're relatively useful if you want me to be a minion as well as a source of entertainment."

Homura looked around at the playground. "Seems there are a lot of flowers growing around here. Let's see if you can find one of each color in one minute… No, that's too easy. Thirty seconds." Andy turned, observing how far the grassy patches were from each other. "I'll count in my head. Go!" With that, the boy was off like a dog, and Homura couldn't help giggling. Last challenge, she decided for herself. This was becoming rather cruel.

Thirty-nine seconds later, Andy came back with six flowers in his hand, panting in exhaustion. Homura rifled through the plants, impressed. "Wait a minute," she said. "You missed a color. You have two purple ones, but no blue."

Andy gently picked one of the flowers out of Homura's hand. "This one," he pointed at it. "It's freaking… blue. The same color as your eyes."

Homura frowned. "My eyes are purple. I thought you of all people should know that."

"No," Andy said through his panting, "They're really dark…" Upon looking at Homura's eyes, Andy realized something. "Purplish-blue," he concluded. "They're practically the same…"

"Bluish-purple," Homura disagreed with a dry smile.

"Indigo," Andy insisted. "Isn't that a shade of blue?"

"Isn't that the hidden seventh color, between blue and purple? Let's say you have an indigo flower and a purple flower, but you're still missing a blue one."

Andy sighed and took a seat on the ground. "And I don't suppose those could pass for red, green, blue, yellow, cyan, and magenta…"

"Oh yeah, and you're missing a green one, too."

"I have a yellow green!" The boy was utterly exhausted. "When's the last time you've seen a green flower?" Homura smiled and took the opportunity to ruffle Andy's hair.

"Sorry, that was a bit cruel," Homura said as she sat next to him.

"Seriously, I didn't imagine you'd be the type of person to do this…"

"And yet, you didn't hesitate when I issued the commands," Homura said, an odd happiness filling her heart. "Did you imagine scenarios in which I tell you to do such things?"

"I love you," Andy said without shame, "So I've imagined scenarios in which you tell me to castrate myself and I do it, damn it." Homura closed her eyes, and let a slight chuckle escape her lips.

"Sorry, it was a test," Homura said. "It would be mean to actually make you mutilate yourself, and until the time comes in which you can actually go through hell for me, I only have this to judge your feelings. But maybe I shouldn't care too much… Well, that's all I'm making you do for today." Homura gave Andy a hand and pulled him up, leading him over to the playground. "Come on. Let's go ride on the seesaw."

"I never got what kids found so amusing about this," Andy said, regaining his composure after all that sprinting. "Well, I guess it's scarier and thus more thrilling when you're little…" He was heavier than Homura, but not too heavy so that the seesaw wouldn't lean to her side when he pushed off the ground lightly.

"So you didn't have many friends when you were little, then?"

"My brother," Andy said. "But that's more because you're forced to say, either like or hate someone if they're on the same boat as you, and I didn't want to put the energy into hating anyone. I had a decent group in high school, but they were all strange people like me. Before the hospital thing… Was Madoka the first classmate that reached out to you, as a friend?"

"…Yes," Homura said, and a nostalgic expression filled her face. "It was really lonely… Until I met her. You're right about what you said yesterday. Even though there might be many girls like her, I'm biased because she's the first I've met, but that doesn't change anything about my love."

"And no boys, either?" Homura shook her head. Andy looked up at the drifting clouds, wondering. "I don't know, I thought there would always be an odd boy that would approach the lonely girl sitting in a corner. Maybe prod you with a twig, or something. Boys like exploring and encountering strange stuff, I mean… Well, I was never that odd boy. I'm still rather shy, as you can see."

"Certainly though," Homura started, and paused. "Certainly, you've had crushes before, right?"

Andy looked to the side, but then decided to look straight at Homura. "You're the first I've ever truly loved, though. I don't think I would've even eaten that pinecone for any of the other girls… Well I mean, once they failed to be the image I had of them, I couldn't feel for them anymore. Like I said yesterday, I think my love for you is unconditional. Either way, whether I'm experienced or inexperienced, I don't think falling in love is ever a wise thing. So you've never had any crushes besides Madoka, huh?"

"It was interesting," Homura admitted. "It was interesting looking at the shy kids, boys and girls alike… Of course, they weren't as shy as me, and I didn't develop crushes on them. Although in my case, Madoka is more than just number one… I repeated an eternity for her, after all." Again, Homura felt the uncomfortable tension between herself and another person. It did feel like she was pushing Andy away, but maybe for the better.

"I wasn't all that lonely I think, to be honest," Andy said, trying to brush past the uncomfortable subtleties. "I sort of got used to the feeling after 8th grade, and well, boys can find stupid things to entertain themselves with. I didn't care too much about proper self-image, or anything. I guess I knew what I was missing, but it didn't become too big of a problem until I knew about you. You know, Homura…" After that fragment, there was a long, improper pause.

"What?"

"…Nothing," Andy said with a fond smile, looking down at the seesaw. "I'm just… Really happy I'm able to have an earnest conversation with you, instead of talking about anything lame or having to stay really silent. Well, although I'll eventually run out of important topics, I'm really happy for now." Andy's stomach began to growl. "I guess that pinecone wouldn't do for lunch, huh?"

Homura smiled and got to her feet, still standing on the seesaw. "I just want to try one more thing before we go out, then. You stand up too." The boy hardly hesitated and did as she asked. Homura jumped, and her angelic wings sprouted, carrying her two or three stories high in the air, still positioned above the seesaw.

Wait, Andy thought. Those angelic wings should be a sign of contentment, or something for her… No, that's not the matter. Is she really going to…?

_Whoosh… Clunk_! As Homura landed on her side of the seesaw, Andy went sprawling up around four or five meters. The boy stayed silent as he flailed about in the air, and landed on his side with a dull thud and a loud groan. "Ugh…" Andy said as he stumbled to his feet. None of his limbs looked broken, but it sure looked like he was hurting. "I thought you would catch me."

"Ah… Sorry," Homura said with a nervous smile. "I thought you would go higher or something. Must be the seesaw. You're okay, right?" The girl walked over to Andy's side, but still didn't offer to carry him. He looked fine as he rubbed his right side, testing out his limbs. "Well…" Homura thought. "I'll treat you to lunch, or something."

The couple had lunch at a decent sandwich place, and not much word passed between the two. It looked like the fall was quite a ways short of damaging, as Andy would leak an embarrassed smile from time to time because of the scenario he was in, similar to yesterday night. Homura wasn't sure what to say, and realized that she had very little to say to others. She thought of saying all of the things she had done with Madoka during that endless period of time, but thinking about it created an uncomfortable heartache. The girl sighed.

"Is philosophy the only real thing you have to talk about?" Homura asked. "I'm not sure why men would be interested in such manners in the first place."

"Well…" Andy started. "I mean, I would ask hypothetical questions like 'what if you woke up and you were this person' or 'what if you woke up and this person was your sister/father or whatever'. Not to mention the typical boys' question 'would you have sex with this character'… Ah," the boy just let another thing slip. "Yeah, I guess I was an otaku as well, honestly. But that's pretty much it; I never had any so called normal conversations, unless you count ones about video games… And those weren't even popular games."

"Otaku?" Homura questioned with a curious smile. "You mean, the type that likes 2D girls? But you said yesterday that I was the most beautiful person in the world, and I'm not 2D…"

"Tough to explain," Andy responded immediately. "To be honest, how the people look in this world matches how a detailed anime style would look in my original world." Homura raised her eyebrow in confusion. "Anyways, as for why I may be so into philosophy… I never had a conscious desire to become a 'philosopher'. I just made my observations, sometimes while doing nothing on the bed and staring at the ceiling, and thought about them. My mind craves more thought than perhaps the average person… I don't know, I mean, I think people are born into the world with a lot of freedoms, but even more limits to what they can do or think of. When you're thinking rigorously about something – about something that you want to think about, something that's not derived from a book or lecture – that seems to be the moment where you can rest assured, and say 'at least my mind is free'." Andy seemed to be done with his rant, but continued. "But there are other ways to fill this gap, I mean. Love, for instance… Even if we were silent, I'd probably still be as satisfied. I think that most people just find random entertainment to be enough for them. For me, though, I think this is the only way I'll really be happy. When I go to bed or wake up, I'm not always ready to question human nature or free will or responsibility, or whatever. I get pretty lonely, and that's where love should come into play."

"But going on from what you said," Homura said after a brief pause. "You didn't seem to be in any great pain or anything before you met me… Ah," the girl realized something. Was she really that similar to him? At least, in the case of love… "So it's the same. You could've tried to forget about me, and be satisfied, but you chose to suffer for your love. And even if the suffering wasn't that great, or worthy of this scenario, you took it on anyways, because your feelings were that strong." Andy looked to the side, as if affirming her statement that way. "So, your types of boyish discussions…" Homura said awkwardly. "What if you woke up and you were Zusa?"

"Neither of us know her that well, so I don't think we should badmouth too much," the boy said as he turned back to his beloved. "Then again, I did ask random questions about random people… Maybe it's better to be like her, or maybe she's the ideal self. I just don't think I'm capable of pretending and acting for society and authorities and powerful figures just to ascend a social ladder. And perhaps most people aren't. I'm one to talk, but you'd have to be pretty banged up in the head."

Homura couldn't say anything to that, and after another silence they decided to pay the check and leave. Andy paid his own half, as apparently he claimed the fall really wasn't that big of an issue. As the couple made their way out of the restaurant, they bumped into Zusa and Kyoko.

"Yo, how was the date?" Zusa asked, sipping on a soda from a fast-food place. Kyoko didn't seem to be doing anything in particular and just fidgeted around in her pockets, as if the new clothes still felt uncomfortable.

"It went well," Homura replied after observing Andy's silence. She decided not to tell Zusa about the pinecone and everything.

"What do you have to talk about, anyways?" Zusa asked with an interested expression.

Andy remained wordless yet again, so Homura spoke up. "Philosophy, you could call it."

"Hey, pretty boy, maybe it'd be better if you stayed silent or something," Zusa shot a mocking glare at Andy. "No one wants to be bombarded by 'what's the meaning of life' questions so often. Why not just go to one of those pretentious sausage fests, instead of trying to be in love?"

"…Given the right opportunity, everyone would enjoy talking about that stuff," Andy claimed. "It just happened to come up in conversation. And you've got to admit, you'd probably prefer talking about that stuff to going on some lame generic date with embarrassing situations. I mean, reason is something everyone shares in common. Well, most people. Maybe people just prefer wanting to feel they're in a special group."

Just as Zusa was about to let out a biting "Hmph!" a sudden mist blew in from the side. Immediately, Homura transformed into her Puella Magi outfit, and Zusa and Kyoko right after. Andy appeared to be caught up in the middle of it yet again, although the people that were right next to the group of four didn't seem to be dragged in. "So," Zusa said, wondering how to make use of the powerless and unarmed boy. Kyoko gave him a worried expression, and Homura just seemed interested as to what he would do. "You're bait, right?"

Andy shrugged. "We'll see how it works, ladies." The mist cleared, and the city streets transformed into a cliffside. The demon was absolutely enormous, covered with moss-ridden stone and around the size of a large waterfall. It really was just that; a gargantuan hunk of stone with a waterfall in the middle. The water, oddly enough, dissipated upon reaching the bottom.

"I don't think we'll be able to take this thing down with brute force," Zusa said as the demon began moving around. It seemed to be blind, unaware of the group's presence. Orange flames would sprout from random areas of its body.

"I guess we can't just scale this thing and find its weakspot, huh?" Andy asked, but didn't receive a response from the girls. "Never mind, I guess you don't get the reference."

All of a sudden, the demon spun its massive body, and a stream of water flew towards the group. Kyoko and Homura jumped out of the way in time, but Andy and Zusa were both almost completely drenched. "What?" Zusa asked, confused as she touched her wet hair. "It's just water, really." The monstrosity spun again, and this time fires around the size of basketballs flew towards Homura and Kyoko. They were slow and small enough to easily dodge, but as Homura took to the air and Kyoko ran towards the demon, more fireballs were launched. "So it senses movement, huh?" Andy scratched his wet scalp, and then clenched his left hand, which was completely dry. "What?" Zusa asked. "You thought only you would notice that?"

"Homura!" Andy yelled. "Take my hand and get me out of here when the next wave is fired. It doesn't seem like you can freeze that amount of water." The boy turned to the new Puella Magi. "Zusa, you can escape with your portals, right?"

"I don't even need portals to escape from those fireballs," Zusa claimed. After she had said those words, another wave of water came towards the two already wet, and Homura grasped Andy by the dry hand before it would hit. "Hmph," Zusa said, and created a portal beside her just in case. "Who does he think he is…?"

A wave of fire abruptly followed the wave of water, flying towards Zusa at an enormous speed as if it had been launched by a two-headed dragon. "Zusa!" Kyoko yelled as the twintailed girl threw her sword in shock. As Zusa reappeared next to Kyoko, her left arm caught on fire.

"Damn it," Zusa said calmly as the portals closed and she brushed away the flame. "Don't worry. I use fire every time I use magic, so I can handle at least this much. Nice guesswork," Zusa said to Andy, who dropped in from behind with Homura. "That water serves as some form of odorless gasoline, so it'll only fan the flames. Next time, I should close the portal before the fire reaches my area… So," the twintailed girl said, cutting off Andy's attempt to announce the strategy. "I assume we're going to try to get the demon to torch itself to death, or something?" The boy nodded. "Just leave this to me, then." Zusa made a portal beside her before tossing her sword end over end spinning towards the waterfall. Another portal opened up near the waterfall, and the sword came back to Zusa. "I'll be weaponless for a bit…" Zusa said as she looked at the fire. The girl tossed the blade towards the bonfire, the weapon reappearing at the waterfall, but the demon didn't ignite. "Well…" Zusa said, irritated.

"It can control the fire from that distance," Homura observed. "I just we should just hope it's stupid enough to launch a fireball at itself when we get close to it." With that said, two more fireballs came towards the group. Homura pulled Andy away, and Zusa and Kyoko jumped to the side. "It's definitely aiming for the water," Homura said as the four regrouped a few meters off. "It might've just fired random shots at Kyoko and me as a distraction."

Andy put his fist on his chin, as if in deep thought. "You sure, Homura?" Homura nodded, and the boy turned to face the group. "Then let's try this. Freeze a ball of water in time and see if the demon throws fireballs at it when you unfreeze it. If not… Well, then we have something else."

When the third wave came rushing at the group, Zusa pulled Andy away, and Homura froze a clump of water with an arrow. After regrouping, Andy issued another command. "Only throw some of that ball of water away, in case we'll need it. Homura threw a fragment of water in a random direction and unfroze it, but no fireballs were thrown at it.

"So it only aims at the water on people, huh?" Zusa asked.

"That seems to be so," Andy said. "All right then, for the most part, I'm wet, and Homura's dry. Give me the frozen ball of water." Homura was trusting enough to put the object in the boy's hands. "Freeze me in time, and drop me down with this ball of water when you reach what appears to be the vital part of the demon. When I'm right above it, drop and unfreeze me and the ball, and I'll drop the ball of water… If all goes well, the demon should ignite and die. Kyoko, climb up the side of the demon in case Homura can't catch me when I fall. Use your spear or something."

"So you are bait after all, huh?" Zusa asked rather smugly.

"No," Andy said solemnly. "I wasn't done. You are. You'll be attracting the demon's attention while Homura flies and Kyoko scales the demon. We can't have any water or fire thrown at them, after all. You'll be fine without your portals, right?"

"All right." Zusa grimaced, but complied anyways. With that, the plan was carried into action, and appeared to be working quite well. Homura started to shake a bit as she scanned the top of the demon for weak spots. It shouldn't be that big of a deal, right? Homura thought as she glanced at the frozen boy. I've only known him for around three days, after all… But the amount of time he knew me… Homura shook her head and found a glowing blue area where the water was flowing. That should do…

"Homura, you ready?" Kyoko called from the side of the demon, spear in hand and all. Homura looked at the boy's face, observing how he had closed his eyes before being stopped in time. Would this be the last time…?

"Ready," Homura replied as she dropped Andy from above the glowing blue area. As he neared the area, Homura unfroze him, and didn't get a chance to see the look on his face as fireballs flew towards him at a surprising speed. I can't catch him… The boy's body vanished in a cloud of fire, the demon tossed its head back, groaning. Kyoko was nowhere to be seen as well. What just…?

"I've got him!" Kyoko said as she fell to the ground, spear in one hand and Zusa's sword in the other. Her spear had been extended into a chain, and disappeared among touching a portal. The redhead fell to the ground with only Zusa's blade, her spear appearing where Andy landed near the ground. He was covered in chains, but nowhere near burning to death. Homura sighed a sigh of relief as the demon collapsed violently, burning in its own flames. It looks like she would keep all her friends.

As the group came back together and Kyoko pulled off the chains, Andy just flashed a contented smile. "Worked pretty well," he said. "Everyone did their part. Taking Zusa's sword wasn't something I had in mind, though. Good job finding it, Kyoko." The redhead flushed a bit upon being praised. It had been a while.

The demon began to sink into the mist, and the three Puella Magi ejected the Grief from their Soul Gems into the rotting corpse. Seconds later, the four were back in the city, and none of the people had seemed severely harmed. There was a car accident, was all…

"I'm still a bit wet," Zusa said with disgust as she changed back into her normal clothes. The twintailed girl then looked over at Andy and laughed. "Not as wet as you, though." The boy hadn't even been able to change. "I guess you should go home and take a shower or something, huh?"

"Yeah," Andy frowned, realizing that his date was probably over. "I guess."

"It feels like my role in this group of Puella Magi has dramatically shifted even more so with Zusa here," Kyoko said randomly. "I used to be the sharp, biting character until I met Sayaka… And now I feel like I'm the 'too modest, too nice' character… Not that I mind it that much."

"So I'd be the sharp, biting character," Zusa said. "Homura, even in her state, would be the cold, flat-eyed character… And Andy's completely out of place."

"Never mind that," Andy said, trying to avoid an uncomfortable gap. "Should we see each other Sunday? I certainly would want to, but maybe three days in a row is a bit too much. Maybe exchange cell phone numbers or something? In case there's an ambush or anything like that."

"I think we all need a day off," Homura said as she took out her phone, with Zusa and Andy following suit. After that was finished, Andy brushed his wet hair and headed off home.

"You can still stay at my place, by the way," Zusa said to Kyoko. "…And didn't you have something you wanted to give the pretty boy?" Kyoko looked at the wet figure and brushed inside Zusa's bag for the object, and jogged towards Andy. The boy turned as if caught off guard.

"Um… I got this, for you," Kyoko said, handing out a carved wooden apple. The boy took the object and observed it with interest. It wasn't solid and rounded, but the angles at which it was cut were equal, and the all of the smooth areas were the same size. "Don't worry about it, Zusa gave me more money than I needed for just lunch. I saw a starving artist… Well, just a really dejected looking guy carving these. Thought you might appreciate it."

"Thanks, Kyoko-chan," Andy said as he put the apple in his pocket. Kyoko shuffled uncomfortably among the "-chan". "Has it been a while since you were called that? To be honest, I don't know when I would be able put a '-chan' at the end of Homura's name, let alone give her that pet name I had. Anyways, thanks."

Even though Homura and Andy's apartments were in the same direction, Homura stayed with Kyoko and Zusa before following the boy. "Maybe you should be the one dating him," Homura said to Kyoko with a slight smile. "I'm sure he wouldn't mind, after all."

"…It's not a matter of 'should'," Kyoko said simply. "And with the stuff he seems to bring up in conversations, I'd feel completely out of place. At least you're somewhat educated… And even if it's just a little, you sound as if you like him yourself with that tone of yours."

"Well, as long as we remain friends, it shouldn't matter who's dating who," Homura replied. "As long as we can keep ourselves together." With that, Homura left for her own apartment, leaving Kyoko and Zusa together alone. Zusa wasn't great company when it just came to entertaining Kyoko. For the most part, she didn't react strongly or say much, and if she did Kyoko knew it was a lie after what she had said during their first meeting.

"You want the truth, don't you?" Zusa had asked her that afternoon. "It's too bad that no one ever tells the complete truth, even when they're honest. Just something to keep in mind." Zusa's words rang in Kyoko's head as she turned over in bed that night. She thought of her past with Sayaka, the current moment with Zusa, the dejected man carving the apples, and Homura and Andy's individual futures. How truthful could a person be, really? Maybe that one blatant weakness Andy shows is more trouble than it might be.


	3. Reverberation

Reverberation

Homura sighed in front of her desk Tuesday afternoon. The amount of homework she had really was getting unbearable. She wondered if she could call anyone for help, and wondered if she should. The girls at school probably still thought her odd, as she wasn't really able to socialize outside of school due to her obligation to fight demons whenever they might show up in a nearby area. Zusa still didn't feel fully trustworthy, or if trustworthy, she wasn't likable, leaving… Andy, huh?

Homura hadn't seen her friends since that memorable Saturday, and since then had a lot of thoughts in her head. Even if she ignored Andy's rants about the universe and its workings, it still felt like there were so many things to consider. The amount of demons she had to fight seemed to lessen, as Zusa appeared to be able to take on the amount that two capable Puella Magi could. And yet, she hadn't decided to call anyone over to hang out, and wondered why.

The set of problems she was stuck on could probably be answered in around 60-90 minutes if she bothered looking things up on the internet. With Andy's help, it would probably take half or even less than half of that time… It wasn't so much as depending on others rather than being emotionally attached to them that Homura felt awkward about. Even if she didn't fall in love or anything, there was almost a fear in her to view her friends as much more than tools or resources. Madoka would want her to expand her trust, for sure, but Madoka was another source of paranoia. If her love for Madoka faltered, would she still remember the old universe, and all of the loops she had gone through? It was unreasonable to worry about such, but still.

In the end, Homura ended up calling the boy, thinking something along the lines of "if I spend too much time thinking about things myself, I'll become like Andy anyways". He came over in a couple of minutes with a nervously glad expression on his face. "Hey," he said. "Summer uniform looks good on you." It was the beginning of July now, and Homura's school had changed into the summer uniform a bit late.

"Nice to see you. Care to help with homework?" With that, the two headed up to Homura's room, and Andy began browsing the web for answers.

Homura was about to bring something up before realizing that it would disrupt the boy's research, and waited until he was done with a few lines of notes. Even if they were just bullet points, they were more condensed and straightforward than anything she could have retrieved in that amount of time. "So," Homura said. "You said that you lost interest in school, but I mean, didn't you ever care? It was about yourself, after all… I don't know how badly you slacked, but certainly you could've gotten really far in your original world had you just applied yourself like such."

"I expanded the areas my mind could reach," Andy said, sighing. "I don't want this conversation to go on too long, so I'll make it brief as possible. I started to wonder about more than myself, on the state of the world and morality, realized, and finally declared 'I am nothing'. And even if I was something, I still wanted to do the asking: what is my true will? What's success and what's failure? Even if I could've just excelled then go to some rich college to get a first rate degree in philosophy or something, that's not being true to the word, should I say. I honestly don't care how amateur or professional I am, I just want to be authentic." After noticing Homura's pause, he went back to taking down the information, and finished the outline in a matter of minutes. "This good enough? These are basically three interpretations of the scene, and they aren't really awe-inspiring, but they'll do for a passing grade."

"Thanks," Homura said, trying to conceal her amazement or shame with gratitude. "Um…" She looked at Andy, wondering if she should ask him to leave.

"Mind if I help you cook, too?" Andy asked. Homura was mildly surprised, feeling the question was mildly random. "It's one of the more random pieces of knowledge I lost when Zusa restructured the world... Sorry if it seems I'm just using you to learn, especially when it seems I can do so on my own, but I mean this would be the most enjoyable way for me. And I just thought I'd do you the favor of saving more time, you know? It must feel sort of sad, to stand in the kitchen for almost an hour or even longer just to go on with everyday life… Or at least it seems that way to me. It was even more annoying back then, when parents reminded me of… Sorry, that was more of my fault, too. I'll try not to go on about that and let you finish the essay… Or rather, answer my question."

"Sure, you can help," Homura said as she turned back to the manuscript paper. "Find something to entertain yourself with while I'm busy. You can't forge handwriting by any chance, can you?"

"Yours is way too neat, and the order I do strokes in is rather odd," Andy said. The boy browsed the small bookshelf in the corner, and hardly found anything before tossing himself on the bed. Homura only turned once to know for sure that Andy was struggling not to drool over the blankets and inhale their scent, or something of the sort. She was able to finish the essay rather quickly, not worrying too much about any traces the boy might leave on her bed.

The couple moved into the kitchen, and Homura immediately noticed that Andy was a lot clumsier with his hands than with his mind. "I didn't get much opportunity to do precise work," the boy explained, embarrassed. "I'll try to improve soon, or something. It feels my hands are so accustomed to using a keyboard or using a pen."

"It's okay," Homura nodded, but without that reassuring smile. After that little nod, Homura again thought of the boy's utter strangeness. He seemed to be disappointed and self-deprecating, and yet seemed to be greatly enjoying the moment at the same time. "If you're feeling really down…" Homura started, not sure if she should really say this. "Like, if I say something really bad or something, and you want to kill yourself down, just call me. Or even if you're lonely, as long as you don't blab about something pointless it's fine. I guess I could use a little help."

"Thanks," Andy said with a slight smile as he began cutting the vegetables. Near the center of the carrot, the knife slipped and scraped his index finger. Andy didn't cry out in pain, but simply stared at the blood in discomfort for a while.

"I'll get a Band-aid," Homura said and walked out of the room coolly. The boy didn't know what to think as he stood there, alone, wiping the blood off from time to time as it oozed out. He just thought something along the lines of "cool, a Band-aid. Do they really help?"

After Homura got the patch and Andy applied it, they went back to cooking as silently as ever. "You know, I can't remember the exact moments of it," Andy said. "But in the last world… I think when we first cooked together, you were the one that cut yourself. And then you found it was cute because I was crying while doing the onions."

"Oh yeah, onions, I probably want those," Homura said and went back to the fridge. "I wouldn't denounce all the things that happened in that world as a total lie, but it seems to bear only very slight resemblance to what I actually feel, or who I actually am. If you try to bring up some debate about what's really me, just keep in mind that like the majority of people, I don't severely doubt my own identity." With that statement, Homura started peeling the onions deftly, and then took up the knife. "Maybe it would be interesting to see you cry, but I don't think I want to trust you with something so dangerous."

Andy shrugged. "I'll just take the Homura that's closest to me. If there were a million of you and no way to determine which one was real except by claims, I'll choose the one that knows me best, and the one that I know." He went back to cutting the carrot, but gazed up at the tears just coming out of Homura's eyes. She had a complete poker face as she was crying. It was really something.

"I didn't really stop crying when I got used to cutting onions," Homura commented. "The tears are still there, but I'm just better at looking beyond them with my eyes. It's kind of hard to explain. Now get back to work."

Andy turned back to his ingredients, and thought of something. "Oh yeah, and we're cooking for two, right? I really want to eat with you, if that wasn't obvious… I'll pay you back for the stuff, okay?"

"Fine with me," Homura said. Eventually, the food was done, and the couple ate together in that once again relative silence.

"You don't eat much, do you?" Andy asked. "You're a growing girl… Well, I think Puella Magi your age grow. But I mean, you shoved more onto my plate than what was necessary."

"Not used to cooking for two," Homura said. "Usually I'd just make leftovers. In any case, I think we made less than I intended to, and I'm not going to stuff myself because I'm not really all that concerned about the shape of my body or anything. Magic isn't really related to how much one eats, either."

"It's fine as it is," Andy said. "Sorry for thinking that you worry about such stupid things… Honestly, I'm not sure I can eat this all. I mean, it's really good, especially the parts made by you, but…"

"And aren't you a growing boy?" Homura asked, trying her best to refrain from a smile.

"I think I've reached most of my full height," Andy said. "But you're right, it does make sense to eat more to support a bigger body. But if you see me shirtless, I mean, I don't have that much muscle or fat to support. And it just feels kind of weird to eat this many spoonfuls more than the host as well."

Homura sighed. "I guess we can freeze what you leave over. Your saliva shouldn't have anything deadly in it, right? Doubt there's going to be much in it, anyways…" The boy's table manners were subpar, but certainly nowhere near awful. Homura was done with her plate, and Andy had a few bites left.

"Come on, eat up…" Andy said, driving the spoonful of food in a circle towards his mouth like a child. Homura couldn't help but lean forwards, her mouth slightly open. Andy took that opportunity to shove the spoonful of food into the girl's mouth. Homura kept it in for a short while before dropping most of it on her plate, mostly out of shock.

"I'm full, really…" Homura said with an annoyed look, and then noticed Andy taking up the food that had been in her mouth with his spoon and eating it. "Oh… Really?" Homura wasn't sure what to say. "That's just… ridiculous."

"It's Homura's cooking covered in Homura's saliva," Andy said as he seemed to savor the food. "I'd eat this no matter how full I was."

"Even if it isn't regurgitation, I'm not putting any of the rest in my mouth. Just finish it yourself," Homura said, not sure whether to be confused, disgusted, or flattered. The boy did just so, and after that stood near the entrance for a while. "Thanks for the night," Homura said. "But I really have more homework. I'm going to take a shower, so you just head on home, okay?"

"Okay…" Andy said, trying to hide his dejection. Homura went into the bathroom without much hesitation, knowing well in her mind what might end up happening. It actually happened, for that matter. Andy tried to open the bathroom door as silently as he could, and took Homura's underwear out of the dirty laundry bin. While in the shower, Homura was fully aware of what was going on, but knew that there wasn't really much point yelling, and that it would be even more troublesome to actually step out of the shower and peel away the curtains. Besides testing this boy's courage, this action could probably be positive in another way.

Andy went back to Homura's bed, and pressed himself up against the blankets as silently as possible, indulging and obsessing over Homura's sweet scent. He examined the underwear next, not caring too much for the bra after one or two sniffs. It was a nice shade of bluish purple, like her eyes. Not too plain and not too promiscuous. He sniffed the panties, not so much like a person with an inhaler, but more like someone trying to suffocate himself, pulling it over his face and stretching it. The scent was nice, but even then it wasn't enough… It should be fine, right? The boy started just by licking the panties, tasting mostly of cloth and slightly of skin. It wasn't wet beforehand, but part of it looked like it had been at some time of the day. Eventually it went from mere licking to biting the thing entirely and attempting to suck out the juices desperately. It can't be helped… Andy had been aroused for quite some time, and finally he pulled down his pants and began masturbating. Imagining her was one thing, but this scent and taste, even if so faint, was so powerful and intoxicating…

He climaxed only a little after five minutes, and that's when Homura walked in with a mere "Hey." The boy lurched upwards with his upper body, panties still in mouth. Homura let the awkward silence fester between them as she negated all expression in her face. She had taken the time to put on her pajamas, to the boy's slight disappointment. Her hair was still fully wet, though.

The boy lifted the panties gently from his teeth, and set them down, wrinkled and wet. "I'll wash and iron them for you," Andy said calmly. "To be honest… I mean, I knew you probably would notice, but walking in just as I finish… Did you see it?" Andy started to panic, pulling up his pants quickly. "Sorry, it's not…"

"The blankets covered it from my angle," Homura said. "And I've got a general idea of how grotesque male genitals are. If you're going to wash and iron them, do so now. I don't have that many pairs of clothes to be honest, and have to rotate what I have every now and then, and I'm assuming you won't drop by every other day."

"Thanks," Andy said. "…You did notice. So was that your plan all along?"

Homura shrugged. "It'd save me a lot of time if you wash and iron all my clothes for me. If you have to chew it first, do so. I can understand why you did it, after all. I'd do the same thing if it was Madoka in the shower."

Andy got up from the bed and reached for the bra, and then organized the blankets as best as he could. "I wanted to see you in nothing but a towel, or a T-shirt, but your pajamas are really cute too. You are going to dry your hair, right?"

"Hmph," Homura said as she turned to the bathroom, hiding a smile. "Get to cleaning those panties."

After Homura was done drying her hair, she worked on her homework for a bit before Andy came back with the cleaned undies. "Clean, and thus worthless," the boy said almost woefully as he showed Homura her underwear before putting it in the clean clothes drawer. "I have to say one thing before I go," Andy said when he came back into Homura's room, sitting on the bed. "I think I brought up that there was a period of time when I hated being male… Yeah, it's nice having somewhat dominance in the species, even in first-world countries, but being male, I mean. There's a part of it that means you have to be so… dirty in order to satisfy curiosity or experiment. I mean, even if you ignore how disturbing the thought of putting something into a hole in comparison with just rubbing, it would've been a lot cuter or something of that sort if a girl was the one sniffing panties or even boxers…. I don't know what I mean. But what I have to say is, it turns out that I just happen to be a heterosexual male, no matter how much more pure or clean I'd be if I was a girl or a lesbian or whatnot. What I'm saying is well… If I ever do something like this again, be confident in your sexuality and don't always ignore what's uncomfortable for you."

Homura shrugged. "Girls can be mean too, and you shouldn't forgive them or adjust your judgment because they're girls. That's sexism in itself, isn't it? Plus, you've overheard conversations, right? I know men talk about sports and video games and stupid stuff like that, but girls can talk about even stupider things. And don't ask me to define stupid."

"You mean, saying something for the sake of saying something rather than relaying or discussing an opinion or fact, right?" Homura adjusted her position in her chair as Andy got up from the bed. "I'm sorry if this'll change too much of what's happening between us, but…" The boy put his hands on Homura's shoulders as she stood up. He suddenly leaned forwards, closing his eyes and pursing his lips, but stopped midway. "…Can I?"

Homura looked away, trying to avoid a blush. "I've done some things including kissing throughout the time loops I've been in, so it's not like you're stealing my first. Well, if it's my first with a boy… I wouldn't mind it being you. Just thought romantics liked it near a sunset or something, rather than after trying to eat their beloved's panties and then cleaning them."

"Okay," Andy said. "Push me away if this gets uncomfortable, will you?" Homura closed her eyes as well, and the two locked lips for a moment. It was nothing fancy or intimate, just a longer than usual press of lip against lip. Andy pulled away eventually, as if wanting to have at least some decency.

Andy had two interesting thoughts in his head after the two met eyes for a while after the brief act, and decided to say them both. "What does it taste like more? The pinecone, or your crotch?" Homura didn't have too big of an urge to smack the boy, but merely gave a fond "that's to be expected" look. "I guess you don't know how different they taste, though…" Andy suddenly sighed, as if exhausted and frustrated. "I really want to hug you deeply, and hold you forever…"

"I think that's a lot more intimate than a kiss," Homura said as she brushed the young man away gently. "We'll meet again soon, so don't rush through everything, okay? Even if life may end at the next hour due to some demon or something, I still want to keep a good pace, especially since… Well, you're a boy, too. Sorry." Homura felt almost ashamed as she looked down. "You really seem to be the kind of person that I don't want to discriminate by gender, or anything."

"…I get it," Andy said as he took Homura's hands, pressing them together softly, forcing her to look up in his eyes again. "Thanks for the wonderful night." He wondered how much he could say the following four words before they became stale. "I love you, Homura."

After Andy left, Homura had a hard time finishing the remainder of her homework. When she looked up at his body and maybe his face, Andy certainly was a boy, and boys weren't too appealing to her. But when she looked deep into his eyes, they weren't male or female. They were just clear and loving. Certainly, even if he was a boy and that meant being dirty, he still had the capability of being romantic, even without any powers. Then again, Homura thought as she looked up at the ceiling. Romance… What is it exactly?

It was Friday already, and Kyoko waited for Zusa outside of her high school. An entire week had already been spent at her house… Would she live like this forever? It wasn't terrible or lonely or anything, it was just slightly uncomfortable, not to mention boring when Zusa would be preoccupied with homework or something of the sort during the night. And she was still living off other people's money, as well…

"I guess we're not doing anything today, huh?" Zusa asked as she met Kyoko outside of the gates. "Do you really just walk around and play in the arcades all day?" Kyoko put on an annoyed look. "Not that it's any of my concern, but…" Zusa led the way as the two girls walked together for a while. "I could pull some strings and get you into school, I mean. Well, you'd have to catch up with what they're teaching on your own."

"…Isn't that a waste of time?" Kyoko asked. Deep down, however, she almost felt the urge to be a normal girl. Maybe she just didn't have that much to do on her own.

"So are you just going to hang around in the city, or are you going to come home with me for some stuff we can do before sleeping? I'm surprised that you haven't touched any of the video games I have in my room. I mean, I have a ton of them, and they're much better than the stuff in the arcades." Kyoko shrugged. She would usually fall asleep before Zusa did, and wake up hours after she had gone to school. Even if she wasn't sleeping, she would just stare the ceiling or sky sometimes, not thinking of anything in particular. "You really don't have much to talk about, do you?"

"What about it?" Kyoko asked, defensive yet again. "Do you do something better with your days? Or does your life go like this no matter which universe you go to?"

"Maybe I can find another Puella Magi in another world with castles and stuff, and trade jobs with her," Zusa said. "But I'm pretty much satisfied here. That's the issue, I mean. Are you satisfied with your life? You can call me a friend, so just don't ignore any hopeful possibilities." Kyoko was about to raise something up, but Zusa covered it on her own. "Even if I do end up screwing you over and don't do much to help you, action is still greater than inaction. Don't feel like your obligation to others is so great that you can't run off and pursue your own interests."

"…Well, I used to think like that," Kyoko said. "But I mean, I'm not someone looking to conquer the world. Living by myself got boring after a while."

"I don't exactly mean that," Zusa said as if disappointed. "I'm asking you if you really think that you won't be able to find any other group of friends or Puella Magi that you might have more fun with."

"I think that's so."

"You're not as boring as the girls in my school, but still relatively uninteresting," Zusa said. Kyoko didn't even feel like replying as the two girls reached Zusa's house. After turning the key and opening the front door, Zusa and Kyoko saw a rather disturbing sight in the corner of the living room.

"Um…" Kyoko stuttered awkwardly.

"Yeah, that's not my mom." Zusa's dad appeared to be having sex with a young girl, and rather roughly too, with wrenching limbs and stuff. A few empty beer bottles were on the ground besides him. "Come on," Zusa forcibly pulled Kyoko's sleeve as the redhead stood there in awe. "This happens once or twice every week, so I figured it would happen sometime soon. Let's go." Kyoko reluctantly followed Zusa up the stairs with a strange look of sorrow on her face, the moaning continuing without hesitation. "What are you, feeling sorry for me?" Zusa frowned. "This started when I was seven or eight. Not that big of a deal. If you feel guilty about judging me before knowing how bad it actually is, don't bother. Everyone does it sometimes… Judging, I mean."

"But I mean…" Kyoko started, stopping on her way up the stairs. "I mean, even if… I don't know, even if he's cheating on his wife, he's just doing it so… Violently, as if he's not even doing it for love or sex. I don't think it should be like that…"

"This is the real world," Zusa said. "Adults are rough and cruel with each other. Maybe there's no good reason behind it, but that's just how it is. I mean, your first time wasn't so great either, right?"

"Better than that, I mean…" Kyoko wasn't sure what to say. It had been a week already, and yet a week had passed so fast. She remembered the first time, and it was just mechanical, not violent, like this. Last Thursday, however, he had still gone to further lengths to make sure she was comfortable… It couldn't be said. "How long does this go on for?"

"It's a Friday night," Zusa explained. "My mom's out on a trip and he's already been drinking quite a few bottles of beer. In today's economy, too… Even if it's not downright prostitution, there are employees in the company needing raises and promotions and stuff. As you brought up, it's not for sex or love, just the feeling of power. It'll probably go on all night."

"I'll go and see if I can stay at Homura's place," Kyoko said as she started back down the stairs. "Want to come?"

"No reason," Zusa shrugged. "I have my normal friends. Good luck with the threesome." Kyoko continued down the stairs and left Zusa's house, not sure what to say. Zusa was annoying in the strangest of manners… It could be said that it just wasn't that pleasant to have honest interaction with her. With the way she was pushing everything nice away, too, there wasn't much purpose in trying to find any sense of innocence or free spirit within her. Then again, I shouldn't judge, Kyoko reminded herself.

"So it's really… like that?" Homura asked awkwardly as the two girls sat across from each other on the couch. The redhead nodded. "I don't suppose you're staying for dinner, as well? Maybe I should've taken the initiative, but none of the four of us have any plans for Friday night."

"Sure…" Kyoko said. "Sometimes I just don't know how to talk about it, what I saw a few moments ago, the feeling I get with Zusa, maybe the whole world in general. I'm not sure if school would've helped that much, either. It just seems like my life… No, our lives are fairy tales gone wrong."

Homura paused, looking into Kyoko's red eyes, and felt that strange reminder yet again. She probably wouldn't see as much psychological complexity in anyone other than Andy… Maybe it was just a little, but when he went on about his observations and thoughts it calmed her quite a bit. Homura wondered how depressing and awkward a night with just Kyoko would be. "Should I call Andy over?" Kyoko nodded, and within a few minutes the boy was at the doorstep.

"Hey," Andy said as he walked over and sat down on the floor, not having much space on the couch. "Thanks for the cooking tips by the way, it helped me a lot." The mood was rather tense, and neither of the girls seemed to be in a very harem-ish mindset.

"…So you don't have any male friends in this world?" that was the first thing Homura said.

Andy shrugged. "Well, I mean I don't go out of my way to make friends. I guess people in this country really are pretty 'normal', compared to the ones I could find in America. I don't really find that much interest in talking about movies or technology or anime, to be honest. Suppose if I enter a conversation with girls, they'll probably judge me less, should I say… It could be said all people judge a lot, but most of the conversations that boys have are about judging, while girls can talk for just talking and I can sometimes bend the conversation to my will."

Neither of the girls had anything to say to such a long answer, but didn't seem to mind, either. Homura got up and said she would start making dinner, and Kyoko and Andy followed to help her with it. There really wasn't much to talk about while cooking or eating. No one really generated much of an awkward presence, it was just that the relations between each of the three seemed awkward. Homura's mind began to escape again, wondering how much nicer the atmosphere would be if Madoka was here…

"I've always found my eyes rather… Dull, should I say?" Homura said out of the blue while eating. "They're very flat on the top, you know? I thought boys and girls alike found round-shaped eyes cuter."

"There are a ton of reasons why your eyes are prettier," Andy said matter-of-factly. "Since most depictions of beauty have round eyes, it's nice to have a change… Never mind that, there's also a sense of mystery and inner depth, as if it makes the viewer a bit pretentious thinking that they're less superficial than the rest. For me, it's because your eyes are really, how should I say, calming. Even if I tend to be passionate or emotional a lot when I'm sincere, when I look at eyes like yours, I feel at ease."

"What would you have to say about my eyes, then?" Kyoko asked.

"Sort of like eyes of a cunning witch's, you could say," Andy put bluntly. "For some reason it also gives off a childish feel. They are pretty cute."

The evening was passed with playing cards and a game called "Heart Attack". The deck was simply shuffled and split into three face-down piles, and each player would flip over a card on a pile and count from the previous player's number, from 1-13. If the number on the card matched the number counted, each player would try to put their hand on the card first. The last player kept the giant pile, and there was only one loser when the game ended, as winners could be given a huge pile if their hand was too late.

The time passed away faster than any of them had expected, really. Andy wasn't actually that slow even with ordinary reflexes, as his hand would almost always be on or under Homura's. It wasn't sure who started it, but once a nervous smile was flashed and the cards were flipped slower, everyone had a fair share of laughter when someone faltered. Kyoko almost wished that Zusa was there to enjoy it, but still felt that she would've ruined the mood.

"Thanks for suggesting the game," Homura said to Andy. "All I really know is chess and poker. Mami would make sweets and tea for us from time to time, but sometimes she just made too much, and there really wasn't that much to socialize about."

"Yeah," Andy said, a blush spreading across his face. "I'm pretty sure I would lose in soccer or basketball as well, given how strong you two are."

The two girls headed off to shower and sleep, but Kyoko noticed that strange look on Andy's face again. "Want to stay the night, too?"

"I'm not going to do anything dirty to Kyoko," Homura said as she turned to the boy. "I guess if you insist, there's a couch and a spare mattress. I still don't want to get too close to you, sorry. It's summer, so you should be fine without blankets, right?"

"Ah…" Andy said, hesitating to question his decency for a split second before replying. "Yeah, I'll stay." After the showers, the boy ended up on another mattress next to the one Homura and Kyoko shared. Homura was in the center and Kyoko and Andy were on the sides. Homura noticed how much Kyoko was pressing against her, and decided to bring it up.

"Were you like this with Zusa, too?"

"Ah… No," Kyoko said as she pushed away an inch or so. "It's just… I don't know, the warm feeling is nice, and it would be too awkward to do this with Andy instead, or have him in the center. Plus we are sharing blankets…" Homura turned over to see how the boy was doing. He wasn't as far away as he possibly could be, but he was still a decent distance away. He was also struggling not to ogle as well, apparently.

"…Whatever," Homura said, imagining another person in Kyoko's position. Madoka's body was a lot smaller and subtle, though… Homura sighed as she kept her position. If this was uncomfortable, it was only because she hadn't done it for a long time.

Homura and Andy got up at about the same time, even after the alarm was pressed. Kyoko didn't wake up after Homura shook her off to move over to the bathroom. There was only one, so Andy was forced to stay sitting in bed and watch the redhead, inching a bit closer to her. It looked like she was suddenly a lot sadder after Homura had left her arms.

"Papa…" Kyoko said in her sleep as she suddenly pressed up against Andy's waist. Homura returned from the bathroom to see the two in such a position.

"I didn't…" Andy said as he sat up completely straight, showing that Kyoko was hanging onto him by her own volition. "She's sleeping…"

"It's fine," Homura said with a smile. "She looks pretty happy, after all." Kyoko's expression had softened again once she was brushing up against Andy.

"Wait," Andy said cautiously. "You're just going to leave me…"

"I'll make breakfast," Homura said, the smile on her face not changing. "You two have fun."

"Homura…" Andy said as Kyoko pulled herself up to his chest. The things people can do while sleeping…

"Papa, please don't go, hold me…" Andy looked at her face, and it still seems she was totally unconscious. He started stroking the red mass of hair in the same fashion he had stroked it last week, and in the same manner he wanted to stroke Homura's. A contented sigh came from Kyoko's unconscious smile. Jeez, the boy thought. When is she going to…? "…Huh?" Kyoko asked as her eyes began to snap open, realizing what she was doing. "Ah!" The redhead jumped up from her bed. "Sorry, I was sleeping…"

"Homura saw you like this, so I don't think she'd mind," Andy said. "I have no intent for any jealousy to form in our relationship, anyways… Besides, you're in a full set of pajamas as well, so you didn't do anything to intimate. If you don't mind, I'll be going to the bathroom now." After the boy went and came back, Kyoko decided to bring something up, still lying on the bed and calling him out.

"Wait," Kyoko called, and Andy stepped back into the bedroom. "I just noticed something… Your moments of dialogue are usually brief or so much longer than everyone else's. I mean, it's odd. You bring people in with your words and reasons, and yet you push them away at the same time, as you did now… Are you sure you have the intent to get anywhere with Homura?"

Andy shrugged. "I don't know another way to act. We kissed on Tuesday, but haven't done so since then. In modern standards, you can still say this relationship is moving rather fast. Maybe it was faster in the last world, but I feel comfortable at this pace."

The three had breakfast together, each lost in their own thoughts somewhat absent-mindedly before Andy brought something up. "Today's July 7th, right? Isn't it Tanabata, or something…? I don't know if the holiday is even that well-known, but maybe we should do something."

Homura scratched her head. She was still in her pajamas, apparently not expecting to go outdoors today. "What exactly is done on this date, again?"

"I'll talk about it later," Andy said with a nervous grin. "Just treat it as an excuse to do something today. Zusa might be interested, so maybe we should give her a call." Neither Homura nor Kyoko had much better to do, so they both shrugged and went along with the boy's plan, changing into casual clothing. Zusa came over soon enough and looked at Andy with a sarcastic gaze, as if she knew what was going on. The group of four went into the city and stopped at a hobby store upon Andy's request. Seeing as it was his plan, Andy bought four fake-looking bamboo sticks and the tanzaku with his own money.

The four stopped on the grassy field near the wind farm, and the boy pulled out four pens from his pocket. It seemed that Andy wanted a sense of isolation to some extent. "Too bad we don't have a clubroom…" the boy muttered before going on to explain what they were doing. "Basically, we're making wishes to two stars in the sky that symbolize gods, Altair and Vega. One takes sixteen years to be granted and another takes twenty-five… Write them on these scraps of paper and point the bamboo in the direction of each star."

"You probably don't even know the direction," Zusa criticized bluntly. "And even if you did, Earth is moving and rotating… Whatever. It's not like much actual harm would be done by following weird otaku traditions. I have to say that the two over there probably have bad experience with wishes and won't know what to wish for, though."

"Come on, it's just superstition, for the fun of it," Andy said. "Yeah, I guess I did spend a bit on the bamboo… Anyways, write the wish down, and stick the tanzaku on the bamboo after you're done balancing it."

Homura crossed her arms. "I don't suppose you could've just asked us all hypothetical questions?"

Andy chuckled. "Maybe all of us really do kind of think that this ritual might make our wishes come true. You are doing it though, right, Homura?" Homura looked to the side as if disgusted, but took a pen and began writing on the scraps of paper soon enough.

"I'm not too unpredictable," Zusa said after being the first one to finish. Her two wishes read: "Let me know the weaknesses of things" and "Let the world be somewhat stable".

"I wasn't too sure about mine…" Kyoko's read: "Understanding" and "Compassion". Zusa seemed to be the only one not even slightly moved by that.

"These two were well thought out to begin with." Andy had trouble balancing his bamboo, but after he was done his two tanzaku read: "Happiness for Homura" and "Eternal Youth".

"Eternal youth?" Zusa said with a mischievous smile. "I thought you'd wish for something nobler."

The boy shrugged. "Originally I would wish for 'let me make Homura happy', but the first one seems better put this way. As for eternal youth, I don't exactly mean living forever, or being a teenager all my life. It's just that I despise the thought of getting old, and how people in luxury now live more than half their life in that 'decaying' stage. When you're young, you've got a stronger body and can learn things and create new ideas faster. When you're old… No one likes being old. Maybe there's the wisdom of it, but certainly they'd prefer not to appear all wrinkly and conservative."

"I doubt he would've wished for a change on a grand scale, be it for him or the world," Homura said almost scornfully. "But then again, you probably didn't do this to impress me. Anyways, I'm done with mine." Homura's two wishes read "Let me see Madoka again" and "Give Andy and people like him useful powers for once".

"I thought you enjoyed my rants," Andy frowned.

"Maybe she just got annoyed with how all you've done so far is be a smart-aleck," Zusa said. "Perhaps it's time for you to do some manly tanking and weapon-swinging, even if that would make you extremely generic. Honestly, your powers are about as impressive as growing your nails." There was a pause as a wind blew through the grassy field. "Well, now what?"

"Homura, have we reached that stage yet?" Andy asked. "I like your full name, but I still want to call you something else…"

"Go ahead," Homura said mostly expressionlessly.

"Homuchan," Homura's lip moved a centimeter or so to the left. "…Anyways, Homuchan, your skin sure is pale. Mine looks so tan in comparison. I mean it looks darker than that of an anime's male protagonist. Although sometimes I feel like I could be black for all I cared and still wouldn't mind."

"It sort of looks less like it's pure, and more like she just hasn't had enough sunlight, right?" Kyoko asked. "I wouldn't mind appearance too much, but…"

"Are you guys really talking about this?" Zusa said, as if frustrated. "I know you don't like ordinary conversations, but how bored must you be to talk about something like this? Seriously."

"Well, I'd feel pretty racist if I just said that her skin tone looked nice," Andy said, and Zusa was about to say another biting comment when a demon's mist appeared along the roadside.

"So freaking random…" Zusa said as she rushed towards the mist by herself, prompting the other three to follow. "Maybe pretty boy should stay out of it," she said. "This one appears to be as powerful as that waterfall colossus one, and you got pretty lucky with that."

"If I always stay out of her battles, I'll be distanced from Homuchan," Andy said. Homura still looked slightly annoyed by that name, but even then, the feelings behind it were genuine enough and prompted her concern.

"I already know how you feel about me," Homura said, turning her head. "Trust me, you don't want to be remembered as an idiot."

"Better than being shunned or dismissed as a coward," Andy concluded as the group of four entered the miasma. No central object or living thing could be seen in the swirling mass of lines. The strings were thin and silky like that of a spider's web, reflecting a seemingly harmless light, but random in their movements. "Um…" the boy said, as if trying hard not to feel hopeless.

"Most likely, one of these lines is the vital point," Zusa spoke up. "Any way to distinguish it?" Homura and Kyoko both shook their heads. "All right then, I'll be the first to attack." The twintailed girl charged forwards and cut group after group of the strings with her blade, not seeming to attack anything in particular. The lines eventually caught up with her, and wrapped around her body with the intent to crush. With a "hmph", Zusa broke the knot with her red flames, but a second group of strings created an opaque wall between her and the other three teenagers.

"Zusa…!" Kyoko called as she stepped forwards, and a group of the seemingly endless amount of lines aimed at her. She was forced to erect the red crystal barriers after a few swings of her spears, and couldn't find much room to move around in her predicament.

"A weak spot…" Homura muttered as she looked at a flashing light that had appeared up ahead. Sprouting her black, distorted wings, she charged forwards at the bait.

"Homuchan…" Andy muttered cautiously, but reminded himself in despair. Even if it was bait, it should lead to the weak spot… Lines were now racing towards Homura, and she swerved and looped in frustration, cutting the lines with her black wings. An arrow was shot at the flashing light, but it was deflected by lines coming in to block it.

"It's all up to you again, Andy!" Homura said as the boy turned to look at her in awe. "It looks like they sense the most movement or magic, so they shouldn't aim at you if I keep moving!" He approached the light cautiously at a steady pace, keeping his eyes still and concentrated. Kyoko and Zusa had cut the lines in their path, but a new set blocked them from reaching out to Andy. Before he could hear a warning, Andy was at the source of the glowing light. It was a mechanical device, with buttons and lights all over the place as if it was some sort of odd radio. Now then… The boy thought as he darted his eyes back and forth. This was definitely a weak spot, or something along those lines.

"He's a goner…" Zusa said to Kyoko and Homura behind the barrier. Homura gritted her teeth, and spun in elegant loops in an attempt to draw the strings' attention. They centered towards her, but at the same time rushed towards Andy. Crap…! Homura thought as time seemed to slow down. He's going to disappear, that boy… Yesterday I had even bothered calling him over, for fun, of all things. I'm not going to loop back time for him, and probably can't. So this is just fate…? I don't want it to be, but there's not enough time, not enough time for me to reach him and pull him into safety.

"What the…?" Kyoko stammered as an immense shadow covered the battlefield. Homura's wings were no longer black and ethereal, but red and leathery, like those of a dragon's. In a flash, Homura had grabbed onto Andy and pulled him up into the air, her wings covering his body as she floated. The radio didn't explode, but lines clashed and danced where the boy had just been. The strings sped towards the new dragon-like figure, but bounced off of an invisible force field.

"I don't suppose this will hold for long, huh?" Homura asked as Andy gazed up at her in awe. "…Sorry, really. I almost got you killed by not giving you time to think." Homura almost looked ashamed.

"...Thanks," Andy said as more strings smashed against the barrier. "This demon is so strange, I mean. I don't get it at all. If that radio was just a distraction, does that mean that its weakness really does just lie in one particular string? And I thought it sensed movement…"

"It senses eye movement only," Homura concluded. "Zusa and Kyoko helped point that out. Something in the barrier cracked. "I'll keep floating here. You look over my back and I'll look up ahead. Try not to move your eyes, and signal with your arms when you see the specific line or weak spot. I'll have to be the one to take this thing out, neither Zusa nor Kyoko have projectiles."

"Right…" Andy said, embarrassed at both his current physical position and his situation. He pushed onto Homura's shoulders and looked behind her, but saw nothing in particular as he strained to see things with his eyes locked in one position. After a few seconds, though, Homura brought up her bow in an instant and shot a single arrow. The lines floated in midair for a while, and then eventually dissipated. The mist cleared, and it seemed to be all over. The three girls were back in casual clothing, the boy looked ashamed, and the victim of the demon lay on the ground near a motorcycle.

"That was all you, Homura-san," Zusa said with a mocking gaze at Andy. "Sorry the three of us were such drags… But hey, where was genius boy now?"

"…Maybe we should help this guy," Kyoko suggested, drawing the attention to the victim nearby. The other three adolescents turned to look at him, but the man stumbled to his feet, and, as if simply annoyed, got on his motorcycle and sped off. "Okay…"

"We're not responsible for his conscious problems," Zusa said matter-of-factly. "Most of the people we help would probably end up being attacked by another demon sometime later in their lives. Kind of sad, if you think about it." A warm breeze blew through the air, as if signaling the different atmospheres of each of the four.

"…Sorry, Homuchan," Andy finally mustered the courage to say. "I was pretty useless there." The boy sighed. "One day, I want to actually be able to protect you."

"Don't worry about it," Homura said. "You can't always have your moments of brilliance." Even though she said that, every one of the four could sense distance growing between the couple again.

Zusa wanted to scoff or something, in annoyance or contempt, but avoided doing so. "Well, how are we going to spend the rest of the day? I honestly like you guys better than my school friends, and they think that I'm studying or something. My dad should have slept in and won't do anything disturbing for the rest of the day, so what about coming over to my house?"

Andy shrugged, and with that cue the remaining three followed Zusa's wave of the hand. Apparently he would pick up the bamboo tomorrow, or something. There really wasn't anything productive to do for the rest of the day, huh?

Zusa's dad was out of the house doing something, and the twintailed girl led the rest of the group up to her room after making another lame threesome joke. "I'm not really into video games," Homura said as Zusa moved her 36 inch or so flat screen TV that also doubled as a computer monitor into position. A stack of dusty-looking video games sat next to one or two consoles.

Zusa took out a one of the game discs and loaded it, and spread four controllers across the group. "Maybe video games are frowned upon because most of the time you never see the player's face while playing them," Zusa reasoned. "To be honest I wouldn't mind looking at any of you while playing sports or something, but I don't want to see Andy's idiotic smile."

"How do you work this thing…?" Homura asked, and Zusa explained the controls while the disc loaded. Kyoko appeared to pick it up faster than Andy, but Homura still seemed utterly confused. "I don't get it, I mean. I'm used to programming bombs and stuff, but the buttons are so small, and you have to keep mashing them? How is this similar at all to a real battle?"

Zusa avoided looking at Andy's idiotic grin as a four-player free-for-all began. After a few rounds of it, the results averaged to have Zusa first, Kyoko second, Andy third and Homura fourth. The purple-eyed girl was hardly pushing many buttons at all. "All right, let's try two on two." Even when Homura was paired with Zusa and Homura put down the controller to browse the bookshelves, the twintailed girl ended up winning by a decent margin.

"I think someone plays a little too much," Kyoko said, as if disappointed or something. "I mean I used to play in the arcades all day…"

"I get bored," Zusa shrugged. "I get homework done and beat demons relatively fast, so there's really nothing else to do besides study or hang out with lame school friends. I guess you could say my memory is pretty photographic."

"I don't really like fighting," Homura said as she sat down with a book. "It honestly seems like we have enough of that as Puella Magi…"

"Meh, this was probably just the wrong type of game," Zusa said as she took out the disc. Kyoko got up from her seat, probably in search of the bathroom or food. "Here's one with death combos in it. You and Andy go 1v1, I'll watch." A few minutes later, Andy got devastated in a flat-out 3-0.

"Strange," Homura said with a smile. "I thought you said you played this type of game before."

"On the computer," Andy said. "And you were stalling for skills pretty intensively, you know. I'm not going to demand a rematch to prove my manliness or anything. Hard to believe you really are so mechanical, huh?" She hadn't hesitated at all to repeatedly stun and drain her opponent's HP bar.

"Yo," Kyoko came back with three bags of chips, one of them clamped with her mouth. "What are we playing now?"

"I've lost interest because Andy doesn't want a rematch," Homura said smugly as she returned to her book. "Seems pretty boring, anyways."

"Feel free to load another disc," Zusa said. "I'm going to look in the fridge for some leftovers from last night." Andy pushed himself over and rummaged through the pile while Kyoko munched on her chips. He looked pretty disinterested until he stopped at one game, pulled out the container with surprise.

"Shadow of the Colossus," he noted. "Thought she might have it in all of this junk." Kyoko knelt over and observed the case.

"Isn't that single-player?" she asked as the boy loaded the disc. "Although I suppose I can't play very well with all of this food…"

"Just watch," Andy said as he loaded a completed game and triggered time trial mode on one of the idols. "Number eight, Kuromori… Okay, Kyoko, I want to see you play this." Kyoko snapped her eyes opened and swallowed what was in her mouth, and then licked the oil and crumbs and wiped her hands on her shirt.

"So I guess Zusa's just letting you keep that…?" Andy said as Kyoko took the controller.

"What, was me doing that not cute?" Kyoko turned an eye to Andy, but was focused on the cutscene. "Okay, so I'm this guy trying to defeat this giant lizard-crocodile thing in a Coliseum…"

"Uh," Andy said. "I won't spoil the strategy, but it's not a Coliseum, as it doesn't seem to be built for spectators." The stage could be described as a pail with rows of stairs leading down to the ground, and open windows in the wall. "Yeah, basically, find that guy's weakness and stab it to death."

"All right," Kyoko said. "These two buttons to roll?" She had learned the controls in a matter of seconds. "Okay, let's get down there…" The character on screen rolled through a window and fell six or seven stories to the ground. "Oops, I don't know if he can survive that… Oh, only three quarters of my health gone. Must be nice to be a video game character. Come here, giant lizard-thing. Let me slash at you…" Andy began to stifle a chuckle, but Kyoko looked too immersed in the game to notice. "Ooh, he shoots lasers… And poisonous gas? I like this already." Kyoko dodged and weaved, but couldn't find the monster's weak spot. "So I have to shoot arrows at the glowing parts on the legs? Because slashing it doesn't seem to work."

"...You could put it that way," Andy said, still holding back his laughter.

"Shooting arrows does nothing…" Kyoko narrowed her eyes. Wait, his underside is glowing blue, or something! The weak spot should be there, right?"

"It is," Andy put without further detail. Immediately, Kyoko tried rolling under the colossus and grabbing onto its belly upside down, but that didn't work out too well.

"Oh come on, a real human can totally stab while hanging on upside down!" Kyoko said, frustrated. Zusa came into the room with a bowl of pasta, and gazed at the scene playing out in front of her.

"Shadow of the Colossus?" The twintailed girl said as she sat down. "Nice game, but I wasn't gloomy enough to play it more than twice or so. Seems to be Andy's type of game, though." Homura looked up at the screen now and then, as if confused or something.

"Die, lizard thing!" Kyoko announced. "Rear your head up or something, let me at your weak spot!" Zusa was now beginning to laugh as well as Andy. "Hey, don't tell me the strategy!" Kyoko said. "I may feel dumb right now, but if you tell me I'll feel even dumber…"

"That's the right attitude to have, Kyoko-chan," Andy said with a smirk. "Honestly, that's how I tried to defeat this thing for the first time as well… I took a bit longer than you're taking at the moment."

"Simpletons," Zusa said. The colossus would fight back now and then, until Kyoko finally realized what she was doing wrong.

"Oh…" she said. "So you have to whistle to it at higher ground, and shoot its legs as it crawls on the wall…" Soon enough, Kyoko was able to do just that, and the colossus fell from the wall of the enormous stage to the hard ground, stunned lying on its backside. "…Stabbing time, right?" Contrary to the sadistic glee gamers might expect, Kyoko suddenly put on a poker face as she clambered onto the creature and held back the sword, hitting the creature with charged stabs. Homura had gone back to reading for a while, but looked up upon seeing the stabbing.

"Why are you killing some innocent golem-lizard thing?" Homura frowned. "Can't you befriend it, or something?" Black blood would pour out from each stab and dissolve into mist, almost like oil, and the character on screen seemed to cry out in pain with each thrust.

"In the story, you make a deal with some ancient deity to resurrect a girl," Andy explained as he looked at Kyoko kill the colossus with finesse. "There are sixteen of these things, and well, it doesn't turn out so well in the end… You'll see a glimpse of why when Kyoko's done." The colossus began to get back up, and Kyoko headed up the stairs and into the building, repeating the strategy with a stoic determination.

"Man, I thought killing these things would seem more fun…" Kyoko said, as if almost regretting what she was doing. "Are these things even evil to begin with?"

"It's not really a tale about heroism," Andy said as Kyoko finished off the colossus in the second cycle. Dark tendrils would fly out of the dead creature's body and thrust into the heart of the playable character. The warrior collapsed and faded into an odd unconsciousness.

"This is just like…" Kyoko frowned. "This is just like the demons fought in the previous world… Every time, apparently, Andy would take those black tendrils to the chest, as Grief."

"Proof he's an idiot," Zusa said, as if this was all part of her plan. "Part of his idealized world comes from a video game. But you probably shouldn't have brought this game out to begin with, it's depressing."

Andy sighed. "Sorry, I just always liked this game, plus some of the other colossi seem to have greater psychological meaning. Anyways, this game might've been the thing that helps me come up with battle strategies. I like to charge into things headfirst like Kyoko did. This game usually makes the player use the stage to defeat his or her foe." There was a silence between the remaining three as Andy walked up to the TV and turned it off. "Should we order pizza for the rest of us, or something?"

"Fine with me," Kyoko said as she picked up the opened bag of chips. The three moved to the dining room and ate in an awkward silence.

"Is my male presence preventing a pleasant conversation?" Andy asked after finishing his last slice. "I don't think the whole killing colossus thing should really create that sour of an atmosphere. In all honesty, the bestselling video games nowadays have people gunning down other people instead, with actual gore, not to mention world news…"

"Even if it's artificial or arbitrary," Zusa brought up, "Meaningless conversation still does carry out its purpose. Most of the time you won't be able to keep a conversation going with just important things… Well, I suppose you'd be even less interested if we would talk about grades or the economy."

"It's something to fear," Andy said. "When people get bored they realize how empty their lives are, and so end up worrying about stupid things. It's a common goal to not want to starve and gain material things, but ideals and dreams that stretch beyond this world may just be dismissed as ludicrous optimism."

"You're bringing down the mood again," Zusa frowned. "Okay, meaningless conversation." The twintailed girl started going on about how one of her school friends tried to confess to her crush, but Andy interrupted.

"Not only is that boring, but you're creepier than I can possibly be," Andy said. "We all know you're faking every smile."

"See, this is why ordinary friends don't talk about these things."

"What kind of lousy friend can't face differences in opinions or arguments?"

"You are bringing it up for no reason…"

"…Done with your pizza, Homura?" Kyoko asked, trying to change the topic. She had left the bare crusts out after eating the topped portion.

"Oh, I call the crusts," Andy said after noticing them, breaking off his conversation with Zusa entirely. The boy started munching down on the remainders, as if thirsting for the slightest drops of Homura's saliva. "But the thing about 'wasting food', Kyoko-chan…" Andy said after eating. "It doesn't make a difference to the starving people whether you finish your food or not, even if there was a God. Plus, everything is decomposed by animals, plants, or fungi eventually…"

"Forget this boy's nonsense," Zusa said as she got up from her seat. "We have a ping-pong table in one of the rooms. Anyone up for a game?" Homura showed much more interest in it than she did for the video games, although at first she ended up smashing the balls right at her opponent's chest instead of on the table. She learned it soon enough, and Kyoko seemed to have some experience as well, and Andy ended up playing horribly against all of the spikes and slams. However, just like how the video games ended up, Zusa was crowned victor most of the time.

"All right," the twintailed girl said as she faced off against Andy. "Here's a test. If you really love Homura-san, pretty boy, I challenge you to beat me in a game to seven."

"Hey, hey," Andy said. "I'm just an ordinary boy. Love doesn't grant me magical powers."

"You still haven't been playing anywhere near seriously enough," Zusa said with a competitive smile. "She's watching you. Are you going to make her think that you're bad at both sports and video games, and can only ramble on and on about crazy things?"

"I'm pretty sure she's not looking for a boy that generic, in any case," Andy said, annoyed. "I don't want to have to reassure my own manliness as well. I can help with domestic stuff and homework, that should be good enough, right? Plus, you three all fight demons routinely, so of course you'd all be better than me at physical things…"

"You're answering so seriously," Zusa said, widening her smirk. "That means that you do care, so play with all your heart. If you win, I'll make Homura-san go on another date with you. You're starving for one of those, aren't you?" Homura merely gazed at the two with a fond yet half-hearted smile. The game ended soon enough in a devastating 7-3. "Oh well," Zusa said, brushing away her hair on a dry face. "You performed better than you did before, and you did work up quite a sweat." The boy wasn't completely soaked, but he was to a degree panting. "I won't make Homura-san do anything, so it's all up to you. Man, it's getting hot." Zusa took off her second layer and now wore nothing but a sleeveless white shirt. Homura didn't budge as Andy's gaze turned to her.

"I was just thinking how you only gave her one pair of clothes, and… Never mind," Andy said, thinking of all the different outfits he wanted to see the girls in.

"All your clothes practically look the same, even if in different colors," Zusa said. "You didn't seem to buy brands, either… Male fashion."

"I'm going to get something to drink," Andy said as he left the room. Homura followed him after a few seconds without a blush on her face, and led him to the dining room. Andy held his cup of fruit juice awkwardly in his right hand as Homura sat down and took off her jacket. "I thought it would be constricting in this heat," the boy said nervously.

"I've been thinking," Homura said. "You know I think, right?" Andy couldn't find an appropriate way to reply to her. They were both looking down at the table. "I mean, even if I don't find every profound or thoughtful thing you bring up appealing, it's not necessarily a bad aspect of you. I was just wondering how… Bored or lonely or whatever it must be for you to think up those things, and how you probably won't ever change. And I would be the only one that would make you happy…"

"I can change if you want me to," Andy said after a brief pause. "After all, it's just my personality. Even if someone with an ego may be more attractive as a friend, I want to satisfy you enough as I…"

"No," Homura interrupted. "That would be like me asking Madoka to only pay attention to me. I was just wondering. Maybe I don't like you that much, but certainly you may deserve something of me that I don't know how to provide. And I can't just make an excuse, saying 'people don't get what they deserve'."

Andy shook his head. "Forget about what people deserve…. Think about what you want, of all things. Maybe there's the inner moral workings or subconscious deep down inside, but when you're talking to someone that cares about you, or someone that you care about, I don't think it's right to be ambivalent. Be affirmative and decisive… If you really think someone deserves something, you wouldn't feel ashamed or uncomfortable when presenting that something to that person." Andy took a deep breath, as if it was difficult to translate his thoughts into common language. "Basically, either say you don't want to spend time with just me anymore, or don't want to be friends entirely… Or if you want to do more for me."

"I've never considered myself as a righteous person," Homura said nervously. "This was just because… I don't know, I expected you to make a move after that Tuesday evening we shared together. You'd call me, or something. But it's just so hard to interact with you without thinking how much you filter, really. How fast you move the relationship and thoughts and everything. I just didn't think that such periods of non-interactivity is a proper way to pace things."

"I don't know if you'd be comfortable with me lurking behind you while you do everything," Andy chuckled nervously. "But believe me, when I'm talking to Zusa or Kyoko and you're by the side doing or thinking of something else, I have my mind on you, even if you're not thinking of me." Homura appeared as if she doubted his words to some extent, even if she noticed his gazes at her from time to time. "I'll try to fix my pacing, or whatever, soon enough. Maybe we can set up something tomorrow?"

"…I don't know," Homura said as she looked up into Andy's dark brown eyes. "Call me whenever, and I'll pick up."

Homura, Andy, and Kyoko left Zusa's house around late afternoon. Kyoko headed straight to Homura's apartment, apparently still uncomfortable with staying at Zusa's. Andy decided not to spend the evening with them again, and Kyoko brought something up among entering the apartment. "Homura… Your story about the time travel was really true, right?" Homura seemed a bit uncomfortable at Kyoko's mention of it. "Never mind about my repetitive deaths…" The redhead tried to dismiss that subject as least awkwardly as possible. "After all that, it's fine like this, right? It's fine to have friends like this… And a friend like him, right?"

"It feels I was forced to become closer to the rest of you as well, with the types of conversations he makes," Homura admitted. "The thing about him though, is… Not necessarily that there's two sides of him, but it seems like he's two things at the same time. He seems extraordinary when he starts to talk about some things, be it intellect or sensitivity or whatever. But when you look at him, maybe from a purely objective point, he seems so… ordinary, as if it's just another man trying to get through his life. I shouldn't compare my feelings with him with my opinion of Madoka, but I can't help doing it with everyone…"

"…Do you feel you can completely open up now, I mean?" Kyoko seemed genuinely worried rather than just curious. "It has been a year and all, especially in the current world we're in, but ever since Sayaka faded away like that, I've always wondered how sudden my other friends could just… Die, you know?"

"I don't know if there's that much to open up about," Homura said. "Maybe it's just the act of crying into someone you trust. Maybe we all need that sometimes."

Sunday morning, Andy's call to Homura was met with a strange disappointment. "Sorry," Homura said on the other end. "I really have some things to attend to that I don't want you involved with. Don't worry, I'm not in danger of death or anything. We can see each other as early as we can meet on Wednesday, I promise!" A few words after that and she hung up.

"Wednesday…" Andy said to himself, thinking of the dates. Yesterday had been the 7th… Ah, that day is annoying, the boy frowned upon thinking of something of little significance that he remembered anyways. He wondered what in the world Homura was up to. It probably wasn't just school, he could be sure of that. But maybe it was just studying that he couldn't help her with. He wasn't sure when the midterm exams were for that particular school, but… Wednesday. He had work and Homura still was in school.

"Ah, come over now," Homura said on Wednesday when Andy called over. "I'm back from school, and everyone's ready." It can't possibly be that, Andy thought as he headed over to Homura's apartment, walking slightly slower than usual. He hadn't even alerted his new friends about such unimportant dates…

"Surprise!" Homura said when he reached the doorstep. She was holding one of the most unexpected things in her hands. Books, Andy thought with a puzzled expression on his face. His puzzled face transformed into a surprised one when he realized something. Wait, those are…

"Mi-Mine?" Andy said as he closed the apartment door awkwardly. Homura giggled upon seeing Andy's expression.

"Just sit down, I'll explain everything." The boy did as he was told, still gazing at the six novels that were in Homura's hands as she sat down besides him. "Zusa gave me these early Sunday morning, maybe because she wanted me to think ill of you, or something. She copied it from the other world with Kyubey's permission, I think. I was in the middle of reading, and Zusa got bored with my lack of major reactions or how I didn't just drop them, so she brought something else up. Today is your birthday, isn't it?"

Andy grimaced. "Seventeen. I feel a lot more like a pedophile, for some reason."

"The age gap between us is still less than two years," Homura reminded. "And even if I was still fourteen, it wouldn't be that big. Anyways, the books… Can't believe you wrote that much." The books were almost a foot high in total, the pages were a decent size, and the font was the standard English 12 pt. It was thicker due to the width of the language, but Zusa had translated it somehow. "I mean, it was one thing to hear you talk about your feelings, but another thing to read pages and pages of them, even if the ones here weren't directed towards me. Your sense of love… I don't know, I feel you really are crazy. But it's a nice kind of crazy."

"Even with all of the violence and sexuality…" Andy muttered, apparently uncomfortable.

"I spent most of my free time reading these," Homura admitted. "You were just fourteen when you started your original works, right? It did start off a little immature and rough, but eventually I could tell how much your mind grew, and how much thought you put into these." There was an odd pause between the couple. "So no one read these, but you printed them out anyways? And you were almost graduating high school as well… I don't know, it feels like such a waste. Your mind, I mean. I feel that you really can make people… even me, feel a lot better."

"The school therapist read it, but she just said it was profound or something, and couldn't get too close to me because of her position. I had another friend who read them, but he was more into cheesy shonen and random horror anime rather than philosophy. Of course he probably doesn't want me to talk about him like this, but he was extremely limited in actually caring about my philosophies. I wasn't going to publish them, I mean… Could you imagine how odd it would be in the stack of teen or light novels? On the other hand, I doubt adults would want to read about teenagers. It's kind of precious to me, you know?"

"Well, I'm happy," Homura said genuinely. "With how blunt you are in writing, it's almost like I'm reading someone's mind… Even if it's not Madoka's, I feel I can get closer to someone than I ever could before, and I don't dislike that someone. Your outlook on life is sad, but it's witty and almost funny. As for the fantasy ones, it's just so strangely poetic."

"Sorry to break the mood," Zusa said as she came over from behind the couch with Kyoko, holding something in their hands. "But it's a birthday, right? Birthdays need cakes." Andy turned to look at the cake, his heart beating with such unexpected happiness. "Don't worry about it. It's just an excuse for us to pig out."

"Even then…" Andy said. "You guys made this yourself? I would've wanted to help, I mean. And shouldn't we have dinner first?"

Zusa shrugged. "This may be oddly planned, but you want to spend the evening alone with your beloved Homura-san, right? We'll have the cake first." With that, the four moved to the dining table, Andy with the knife in his hands.

"I guess I'm a little too old for candles, huh…?" Andy said as he cut the cake into eighths. "And I already had two wishes on Tanabata…" Andy and Homura didn't seem too fond of the sweet stuff as combined they hardly took up more than a quarter. Zusa ate a little more than a fourth, while Kyoko ate nearly half of it. "…It's really good, I mean it," the boy said awkwardly. "I'm just really bad when I try to eat stuff this sweet…"

"I can't believe we did so well," Kyoko said with her cheeks full. "Sorry, it might've been me putting in too much sugar."

"…The rest of you three," Andy said as he turned upon the group. "I really feel like I should pay you back for this. I don't know if we can make it a surprise, but if another person's birthday is coming up, please mention it."

"I wouldn't let myself or my friends waste such opportunities," Zusa said as she put her plate in the sink. "Okay, I guess Kyoko and I will be leaving. Don't worry too much about us, as we won't die of boredom." Zusa gripped Kyoko's arm and dragged her out to the doorway, Kyoko still cramming the last bits of cake into her mouth. "Have fun!"

With that, Andy and Homura sat in the dining room with no one but each other. "It always feels so weird after the other two leave us," Homura said after a short pause.

"Never mind that," Andy said. "I'm all about awkward pauses and short blurbs. Aren't we going out for dinner? It must've exhausted you, the reading and cooking and everything…"

Homura shook her head with a smile. "You don't see any black bags under my eyes, right? But yes, going out would save us quite a bit. There's still school tomorrow." Homura had changed into a new set of casual clothes, which consisted of nothing more than a T-shirt and a dress that was shorter than before. "It's getting pretty hot recently, right?"

As the couple left the apartment, Andy decided on a random place to go. "This city is pretty interesting, to be honest. I had lived in the suburbs up till now, which was kind of boring, but… All these lights, I mean. Let's head to that new plaza that might be in development."

"Wouldn't you prefer it if there were less people, though?" Homura asked.

"Sure, in the suburbs there are less of them, but the attitudes of them… I don't know, they seem more rigid or something. Like they're too sheltered or whatever. Regardless of that, I only want to go out for a short walk and dinner anyways. After what you said about my books… I mean, I want to say a lot of stuff to you, and do a lot of stuff with you in private. I'm not exactly a partygoer."

"I guess I'm a bit selfish in that sense too," Homura admitted. "Even if Madoka wanted all the girls to be together, I'd want to keep her all to myself."

"…Prepare for a long rant in the next few hours, anyways," Andy said as he sat down on a bench near a fountain. "Thanks, Homura, I really can't thank you enough, and repeat that I love you enough…" Homura only had a fond smile this time as she sat down next to the boy. "I'm just so happy that you seem to express more interest in how should I say… Investing in me. I don't like to talk about people as nothing more than just human beings, but sometimes the metaphors seem necessary. I finally feel that I can show you all my stocks and secrets."

"That's probably a lot, huh?" Homura asked as she sighed softly. "All right, just don't wear your lips out or anything."

"The city…" Andy leapt to another topic yet again. "I just keep thinking how beautiful the lights are, and maybe how professional novelists could fill pages and pages describing it. Even if it's just pointless human superficiality, somehow I feel… It's wonderful sometimes, that's all I can say, even if the people working and trading are mangled up in arguments and manipulation. It kind of makes me feel that I'm not a total waste either, I mean. Maybe all I did was write, and had a few failed projects of my own… But this weird sense of beauty, it seems worth more than any normal boy's album of school life I could think of." Andy turned over to Homura. "…Sorry, that wasn't something I had to note in particular. Are you offended?"

Homura shook her head with a smile. "It's fine. Most of the things you say don't offend me. I don't consider myself a higher being or anything just because of what I went through as a Puella Magi." Homura took a deep breath, thinking of something. "Maybe sometimes I feel that it'd be better if everything had gone as an ordinary magical girl anime would, but this kind of strength that I received from Madoka, even if it was indirect… Even the nightmares are sometimes precious."

Andy got up from his seat after a while, and the couple had dinner in a nearby restaurant. Homura noticed that the boy seemed to be thinking more thoughts than usual as he ate, as if anxious about what he would have to say tonight. She had never thought she would be in such a situation, either with a girl or a boy. Confessing love was one thing, but confessing strange opinions on life, the universe, and everything – well, she didn't even know how that would turn out.

"No games for tonight," Andy said as the couple returned to the apartment. "Sorry if I seem a bit too serious, but I have serious things on my mind, I guess." As Andy paused nervously, Homura prepared herself to handle any strange suggestions the boy might suggest. "I was thinking of… Reading together. On the bed."

"Next to each other on the pillow, like an old married couple?" Andy shook his head.

"You'll see," he said as he shyly stepped into Homura's room, taking the pillow and putting it up against the wall. The boy turned to look back at Homura when he noticed a bag on her desk.

"Ah, that was a birthday present," Homura said. "I didn't think cake would be enough, and you seem to be the type to like permanent things. Also, we did split the dinner bill, didn't we?" After balancing the pillow, Andy walked over to the bag and pulled out two books.

"I've already read one of these," Andy said, pulling out _The Brothers Karamazov_. "…But that's not the issue. What I'm wishing for is a night with you – not if it would bother you, and not in that way, of course! Just…" Andy took the relatively thick book and sat on the bed, his back pressing against the pillow pressing against the wall. "This book probably brought up a lot of the concerns I'll have about people as a whole, though." Homura sat down on the bed, wondering what exactly the boy wanted her to do. "Nowadays, I spend a lot more time writing than I do reading, and maybe more with just my thoughts, thinking. I'll never be able to write as much as I have read, though… I was just wondering, I read this before that day in early fall last year, when Kyubey revealed everything you went through as a Puella Magi. I might be able to appreciate it even more now…"

"What exactly do you want me to do, though?" Homura interrupted the rambling. "I mean, what position should I be in?"

"On… On my lap," Andy said awkwardly. "Wait… Ah," he said, noticing how uncomfortable his pants looked. "I guess I should take a shower first, right? The day Kyoko and I slept over, I put back my casual clothes on. Mind if I borrow any of yours?"

"They'd be really tight, if you don't mind," Homura said. "I guess you're staying the night, then?" Homura tried not to appear too uncomfortable. "Okay, we'll both shower first, then." As Andy stepped into the shower, Homura laid down on the bed and closed her eyes for a bit. Soon, she fell into a nap, dreams forming from her nerves as her eyes darted around in her sockets. Homura woke up lightly when the water stopped running, and couldn't recall what she had dreamed of. It seemed like it was awfully important, and somewhat scary in a sense. She thought of the person that was currently in the shower, and for a small second thought that this was all a dream too. It's… ridiculous, not only Zusa's appearance and everything she brought to our group, but this guy…

Andy came out of the shower, and Homura laughed upon seeing what he was wearing. A sleeveless one-piece dress was on his upper half, and the pants he was wearing hardly reached his ankles. "At least it's not sliding down, right?" Andy asked, giving Homura a friendly smile upon seeing her laughter. "Your hips don't seem to be too wide to need pants like that… I mean, they're perfectly wide, and…"

"I'll shower now, champ," Homura said as she headed to the bathroom herself. The giggles wore off in a few seconds eventually, though, and Homura contemplated her situation seriously as she let the water run down her hair. It'd be so much more convenient if people could just love things that worked out for them… Nothing would get in the way of love, or anything. But that's not how it is for me, Homura reminded herself. I guess I should probably respect Andy's feelings for me, too.

Do I really need to, though? Homura asked herself. For some reason, she suddenly felt like being mean. He's had other obsessions before, and I still can't tell if he's telling the complete truth. His tone in his novels and his speech makes his intents pretty obvious, but if he had fallen into delusion… Homura scrunched her eyebrows as she gazed at the falling water. Even if I do end up loving him, it shouldn't be too much of a problem, right? I'll still always have thoughts of Madoka as a greater priority in my heart, and he knows that well enough not to express jealousy over it. But if the time comes when he has to leave me, or when he really wants to die for me but can't do it conveniently… Those are the questions I don't want to think about.

After Homura came out of the shower and changed into her own pajamas, she entered the bedroom and looked at Andy with a nervous smile. "Sorry, did you expect a dress?" Homura was wearing long pants and a light T-shirt. "It's not that I'm worried you'll actually try anything naughty, it's just that we will be pressing up against each other, right?" The girl sat next to Andy's side.

"…When you're ready," Andy said. Homura let out a half-scoff and pushed herself over onto Andy's lap. Immediately, the boy tried to restrain an awkward expression. He wanted to put his arms around her so badly…

"This is… This is the first hug we've had together, right?" Homura leaned back onto the boy's chest. "Hope you're happy, birthday boy."

"We haven't kissed since last Tuesday," Andy said as well, and moved over to the side a bit to plant a soft kiss on Homura's lips. "…Sorry I'm not soft, or anything. I mean, you'd prefer softer things, right?"

"You have…" Homura said as she readjusted herself. "Soft parts of your body too, you know. How does it feel? My, boys sure do get aroused easily."

"It's just easier to tell," Andy said, immediately embarrassed. "I guess you can't really be aroused by just me… But thanks. A lot, I mean. For leaning back against me, too… I've done this with blankets so many times, but the real thing is so much better."

Homura shifted herself again, feeling a strange pressure building up inside her. "…To be honest, girls can't really say what arouses them. Sometimes it's strange, and you can get entirely wet even if you're not aroused, and out of random moments the nerves there can just clinch or something, and you wonder if you're doing something sexual already. Well, I'm pretty sure that's most girls, and I'm not just a pervert."

Andy attempted to chuckle. "Sometimes it happens for me when I'm not even thinking of much. Usually the thought comes before the action, though." He looked at the book in his hands, and flipped to a certain page. "So, are we going to read, or what?"

"…Right," Homura said, still wondering what was happening inside her. It was probably just a coincidence. It's a good thing Andy's so accepting of this nature, though. I'm not sure what would happen if he tried to tease me about this.

After opening the book, Andy seemed pretty focused on the text, but would get distracted and realize his physical position from time to time. When he tried to flip the page, Homura put out a hand. "…Sorry, Homuchan," Andy said. "You flip the pages."

"…So many questions, and still no solutions," Homura said after a few pages.

"The question _is_ the solution," Andy said. "It's kind of the same thing with everything, though. When a problem is solved, the answer creates new problems. The general problem of mankind in general may just be its ignorance, though, and more individuals asking their own questions and thinking would probably prevent that ignorance, even if it's just a little." Homura nodded as she went on.

"Just these two chapters, I mean," Andy said as he put a finger out to the page. "'Rebellion' and 'The Grand Inquisitor'. Sorry if you weren't very interested. Would you like to read something else, or should I just start my rant?"

"Your rants are a lot easier to understand, in my opinion," Homura said as she set the book aside and turned to lay a finger on Andy's chest, moving the rest of her body away from him. "Try not to break anything, okay?"

"Anyways, I won't do some sort of literary analysis here," Andy said. "Those chapters were just somewhat related to the thoughts I have on my mind… The thoughts that are probably usually on my mind." The boy took a deep breath, and paused. "In the end, humans are ultimately the cause of the greatest suffering. Not just to the other visible animals around them, but to other humans… Really, I don't even think Kyubey is even that bad. The suffering it inflicts has a purpose, and it can't sympathize with humans in the first place. But people… They cause other people suffering for the sole sake of wanting to cause suffering. Ignorance, as in not knowing that you're doing things that are wrong, does not prevent the existence of actual sin, but it excuses the sinner to some extent. But humans can hardly be called ignorant, given their sentience – the human experience, of joy, of grief, of hope and despair, is universal, even if the circumstances vary. We'll have people in each nation saying 'we don't know, we don't understand' when something happens on the other side of the world, being too immersed in their entertainment, Rome's Coliseums and all. Psychological torment, especially… The actions of torturing a loved one and slowly destroying everything precious to the victim, shows that the men doing this know with all their heart what sorts of evil they are doing. It's terrible, just terrible.

"And people will say, 'these things happen' and 'those are just bad people'. Honestly, how can they say such a thing? It's that stupid sense of morality that oftentimes causes these damn things in the first place! Even myself… Even looking at children, and the insults they throw at each other, and the ineffectiveness of the administrators because they _know they're the same_! Evil is within all of us, for whatever reason… The criminal is just another mirror of yourself, only the mirror that has actually done such deeds. The human heart is filled with such hatred, and morality tries to step in… But what is it, anyways? Just another tool for expressing that hatred!

"And people will say, 'it's hopeless', and turn to God for help. That disgusts me as well. I'm not familiar with all religions, but sometimes they speak of doctrines… So much fear of Hell and greed for Heaven, and that's all it is. They say that our Lord, our Savior is all-forgiving, so even if we are horrid folk that don't deserve Heaven and love we'll receive it anyways – and just say it, to say it like that! The majority of mankind has given up on their full potential. They'll say it's just their role to be a commoner, or to do this, or that. Society becomes the only morality, even if deep down they are uncomfortable and disturbed. The excuse for being inadequate is that 'everybody does it'. People should instead strive for their own dreams and excellence, shouldn't they? Instead of seeking to avoid punishment and praying to God to forgive their sins, to claim their own guilt is enough… Punishment should be taken upon themselves! It's this self-hatred that constantly drives improvement… Even so, I'm disgusted with myself. I wrote to give myself the Heaven and Hell I thought I deserved, but in the end, it wasn't the real thing. It's maddening, sickening. To kneel before someone else and say you're always inferior… That's the hopelessness of Christianity, should I say! It's always, always so, so convenient when someone else dies for your sins, someone else takes the responsibility, someone else stands above you so you'll never have to do anything but pray. Sometimes I myself feel like we all should be on the Cross, or we all should do the sacrifice instead! And no, not as condemnation or ritual, it should be out of desire to do good… Sacrifice should be the ultimate reward, right?

"And yet, people go on immersed in their worldly affairs, distracted by money and entertainment and fame, worrying about every single bit of it! It's stupid, to want to balance a job, wife, kids, hobbies, finance, entertainment, and say that you love them all! Even I myself… I can't love everything, sacrifice for it like Madoka did. I hate myself even more, as I'm the thing I have control over, and more educated and less ignorant, and yet I'm such a waste! I want to just forget about everything, all the hatred and distractions and evil, and only love one thing! I don't want a divine or godlike figure to come and comfort me… I want another human being, to be able to see that here, this person didn't fall from the sky with virtues and no vice, and yet it's someone that I can love… To love past all of the imperfections, because he or she… Because she's what I've always strived for, complete and utter sacrifice, the action rather than the thought, the love rather than the hate… Gah," Andy finished with a grim smile, looking up at Homura almost ruefully. "I love you, Homura."

"I'm disgusted but awed at the same time…." Homura didn't know what expression to put on. Andy collapsed on the bed nearby her, exhausted and anxious. "…You're right, though. This world nowadays really is too distracted… By all the things mentioned above. Married couples argue and parents argue with their kids over stupid things. Even if you accept your imperfections, though, I think you're striving for an unattainable standard."

"And yet you reached it," Andy said. "You reached it, even if you were imperfect."

"You're putting me on too high a pedestal," Homura said. "Please, just…" Homura picked the boy up and put him on her lap, stroking his body gently. "Calm down, will you?"

"I really have ego issues," Andy spoke softly. "But then again, it seems everyone does. In wars, many soldiers will kill the opposing enemy even though they know they're no better. Morality is another type of ego, and it disgusts me even more when people judge others because of ego size or how much they care for others. You don't need others to judge or say what's right for you. The only thing people need is spontaneous compassion, love and a little unselfishness. A little bit here and there, and villages and lives can be saved. Well, that works in theory, but in reality, if you give up your ego, society and peer pressure will just drive you like a slave. It's pretty depressing." Homura really didn't know what to say for a while. It did feel rather nice to comfort someone like this again, never mind if anyone deserved it or not.

"What in particular did you have in mind, anyways?" Homura asked. "When you said that you wanted to just be with me and leave the rest of the world, or something like that."

Andy tried to turn over to face away from Homura, but he was already turned that way. "My ultimate happiness is just by serving you, Homuchan. I know that I'll never make you as happy as Madoka would, so… I'd get out of the way if necessary." Homura paused, as if saddened but expecting more. "Near the North Pole," the boy suddenly said. "It'd snow all the time, but in the summer it would still be warm and the snow would be warm somehow. We'd live in a log cabin and I'd have to get firewood daily. For food, maybe just hunt deer and rabbits, or something. There would be no internet, no TV, no distractions. There would be no Witches or demons, either. During the night, those auroras that would spread across the sky would be seen… The stars would glow as well, and no smog would be there to block them. There would be a little village nearby with a library and convenience stores, except it'd be all empty for some reason. When the winter comes, we can bundle together or just freeze over. It'd be fine like that."

"You're pretty random," Homura said. But in her mind that picture formed. A wood cabin near the North Pole, all alone with Madoka…

"I take it Kyoko-chan isn't staying with you for the night?" Andy asked as he sat up on his legs, slightly facing Homura.

"…She said she'd be staying with Zusa for the night," Homura replied. "Zusa and Kyoko both seemed to have something in mind for us." She could guess what the boy was thinking of, and didn't really know what to make of it. Well, one of us has to…

"Sorry for bringing this up," Andy said. "But… I know, going through this psychological and depressing night might've worn you out, but maybe if… Maybe if you wouldn't mind, I'd like to sleep with you again. You can guess how, like the way Kyoko was pressed up against you the night before Tanabata."

Homura didn't have any strong inclination to accept or refuse, but felt like she would feel a lot emptier and sullen if she refused. "As long as you don't try anything dirty with me, okay? And I can't guarantee we'll be able to do this more than once, or for your next birthday…"

"Thanks so much, Homuchan…!" Andy restrained his urge to hug her. "I'll brush my teeth and everything." And with that, Andy stormed to the bathroom in eagerness. Homura didn't know why she didn't feel alarmed or disgusted at the boy. It wasn't the fact that he was practically harmless and carried no weapons or magic, it was just that… After all he had said, it just felt right to trust him. Or not "right". It was okay, and she needed to let out what she was feeling in her heart once in a while, even if it was just a hug.

Homura washed up a few moments later, and dimmed the lights as she lay down next to Andy on the bed. The boy turned over shyly, hesitantly. He moved his right hand up to Homura's shoulder, and just left it there for a while, cherishing the warm feeling and comfort. "Don't back out now," Homura said, and with that Andy pressed his entire body up against her, chest to chest. Homura breathed softly, almost completely at ease. Almost… Should be enough for now.

"You feel so good," Andy said, shifting his position slightly. He still tried to not hug Homura too tight, wanting to let her slip out if she was uncomfortable. "Way better than the blankets…" His neck was fully exposed to Homura's gaze, and his eyes were closed and content. This love… Fully harmless, right?

Homura slowly put an arm around Andy's back. His body wasn't too wide so that she couldn't reach the end, but yet… It felt different. "Andy," Homura said on a whim. "Have you ever thought of… marriage, or anything? I mean…"

"It should only matter in a society though, right?" the boy replied. "But yes… You're the first person I'd be completely happy marrying. Were you going to ask me about kids?"

Homura wanted to just nod, but Andy couldn't see her in his position. "Yeah…" she replied, her voice trailing off.

"They're troublesome," Andy admitted. "You'd have to listen to the spouse and the kid and the kid's sibling or siblings all at once… It's like I said, divided love is just unwieldy and poorly focused. Most of a person's worldview and abilities isn't dependent on genes, anyways. It's just the culture, and I don't think I'd be able to raise someone better than you, Homuchan… Damn, this is so awkward." Andy shifted to look into Homura's purple eyes. "I'm kind of a pervert, too… Maybe it's this endless state of adolescence I desire. You're so cute, Homuchan, it's like having a girl and a child at the same time."

"…Right," Homura said, uncomfortable with Andy's gaze. "Thanks for being honest, anyways." She wondered if she should say that more. "I'm thinking about what you said… About how everyone has evil in them, yet all should try to reach their full potential. Sometimes you want to believe that a lover's warmth is the best and strongest, but… I don't know, I was in this situation with Kyoko, and now you, and it seems that everyone's warm inside, and it's more than just biology. Even the most cold-hearted serial killer…"

"So true," Andy seemed to restrain a sigh as he turned his eyes away. "But certainly, most men and even women would want to be next to a young girl rather than an ugly, wrinkly old man."

Eternal youth, huh? Homura whispered to herself. "Well… Kyubey isn't actually warm-blooded, if you touch it."

"Never mind that," Andy said. "Are you comfortable, Homuchan? Don't feel like you need to exert yourself for me… I'd rather not have you suffocate or anything from being pressed up against my chest."

"I'm probably more comfortable than you," Homura said with a mocking smile. "Seems like every time we touch this much, you get extremely aroused down there. Don't think I don't see you flinching from time to time… If you need to relieve yourself, just go to the bathroom and do it."

"Most likely it'd just get hard again once I get back together with you," Andy said. "And I'd have to leave your arms in the first place to do it… Agh, Homuchan… Too cute, too cute!" With that, Andy leaned in for a barrage of kisses, and then fell back with a satisfied smile.

…Right. Homura didn't know what she was thinking of in her heart. It was just someone that she was making happy, was all… That's all there was to it. Why was she feeling something so strange in the depths of her body? It can't be… This calmness. She certainly hadn't felt it in a while, not ever since she began looping time.

Each of them began drifting into unconsciousness at similar times, so neither had the pleasure or awkwardness of staring at a sleeping face. A slight shimmer of light, a blur ran between Homura's chest and Andy's, moving two ways at once. From now on, both would each experience their greatest dreams and most terrifying nightmares.

An all-too familiar figure came into Homura's line of sight. It couldn't be… "Madoka… Madoka!" Homura called out to the pink-haired figure. Her hair was still long and flowing behind her back, and she was wearing those smooth white robes she had ascended in. She had her back turned, and there was nothing in the distance or sky, just an invisible field of white with an unseen floor. Homura's dreams about Madoka usually didn't go like this, and it certainly never felt this… real. Homura took in the air through her lungs, and felt something magical in the air.

"Ah, Homura-chan, you came from behind me," Madoka said nervously as she turned around. It was that familiar and loving face, alright. She had slight bags under her eyes, but didn't seem too worn-out. However, Homura was deeply concerned about how the condition Madoka would be in after a century or so. "Sorry I didn't have time to visit you," Madoka said as she stepped forwards with that all-too familiar smile. "Homura-chan, you've grown. You're so much taller than me now, hehe."

It's her, Homura said to herself. No doubt about it. The black-haired girl threw herself forward into Madoka's arms, savoring the deep embrace. "It's fine, Madoka… I love you. I love you most of all, sorry, I mean I don't know, I mean, if, I mean if you've been watching me…" Homura felt extremely awkward as she looked down into Madoka's eyes.

"Andy's actually the reason I could see you," Madoka said nervously. "Despite what Zusa-san said, she couldn't completely strip his powers. All that was really required between you two was for you to have a calm heart and him to be really close to you while sleeping together… Andy, he has the power to grant your wish, even if it's just for a moment like this. I usually can't visit the dreams of most Puella Magi since they have worried hearts. Since he was able to calm your heart, yet increase the magic around you while doing so… I'm here."

"Ah…" Homura stuttered as she pulled away, suddenly unsure of herself. Madoka's outline began to flicker slightly. "Sorry, Madoka! I wasn't sure… I mean, it seemed so much longer than just a year or so since I last saw you. Did I do anything to offend you? If so, how can I make it up? Um… uh…" Homura began to panic.

"Homura-chan, you're doing fine," Madoka said with that trademark smile of hers. "Just don't worry about me, okay?"

"This place seems rather blank," Homura said as she looked around at the white landscape. "I thought it was your godly realm, or something."

"It's how much your imagination and dreams can come to life," Madoka said. "When you started to trust Andy that slight bit more tonight, he was able to read your wishes subconsciously with magic. If… Well…" Madoka stopped, as if not wanting to suggest something.

"…If I sleep with him tomorrow, I'll be able to see you again as well?" Homura put bluntly. "So he just has to think I trust him…"

"Homura-chan, don't do that!" Homura predicted Madoka's response, but still felt guilty for saying what she had said. "Andy loves you very much, and certainly would do anything to make you happy… But you mustn't abuse him like that. If you're going to get close to him, do it because you really want to. You're capable of really hurting him…"

"…Right," Homura said, suddenly contemplating her motives and desires. Madoka's outline began to flicker yet again. "I'll tell him about this tomorrow. Honestly, I like him and did what we did tonight by my own will." Madoka gave Homura a concerned expression, to which Homura responded with a smile.

"Well then," Madoka said. "This place is completely blank, so shall we talk?"

"…Sure," Homura said. If she got even closer to Andy, certainly this world would be better… Madoka would have more of her essence, and there might even be a landscape and backgrounds. If it's the imagination Madoka and I share, it wouldn't have to be some wood cabin near the North Pole, either. "What do you want to talk about?" Homura sat down on the ground.

"I know all about how my friends are doing," Madoka said as she lowered herself. "Why not talk about that first?" The conversation went smoothly, and Homura felt that there was so much to talk about, but nothing was a waste, unlike how she talked with Andy. Everything Madoka said was pure gold, of complete and utter importance. It wasn't phony or stupid at all.

"…Madoka," Homura said after a short pause, finally deciding to bring it up. "Is there… Is there a Heaven?"

"Well, it depends, I mean…" Madoka began, but couldn't lie or stutter to Homura's concerned expression. "No," Madoka sighed. "There's no afterlife or Heaven, at least not naturally. Souls can leap from place to place with contracts or just randomly, but there's no Heaven. I don't really see a God that intervenes in the affairs of normal humans, either."

"It… It's fine," Homura said, smiling. "This is good enough for me. All alone in a world with you. A few more weeks like this and it'll make up for all of the loops I went through." Homura paused for a bit, thinking of something. "What do you think of Andy, anyways?" She wondered how much more she would have to do with him to have her wish fully granted, or at least, this dream world fully materialized. Madoka's outline was clearly flickering from time to time, and some of her shadows just didn't seem… there.

"I don't want to judge people," Madoka said solemnly. "But he's fine… He holds no ill-intent or threat to you whatsoever. But there might be a time soon when you'll have to make an important decision. He still has the power to grant your wish entirely, but at the cost of him and other people's lives. If I came back to Earth completely, someone else would have to fight and manage the Witches. There are very few people in this world that have the capacity to do such a thing, and Andy isn't one of them. It's not just the magical power, it's the mental attitude as well…"

"Are you jealous, I mean?"

"I think all friends can get a little bit jealous," Madoka said with a reassuring smile. That wasn't what I meant, Homura thought, but restrained herself from saying it. "But my role is to protect this universe in its entirety, not just to look after you. I really can't do anything if Zusa changes something overnight under the command of Kyubey. All I can do is prevent Witches from forming."

"Zusa Kanajo…" Homura's concerns were still mainly focused on her. Even if she approached her face to face, there would still be no guarantee of being able to draw any truths. "Are you sure she's fine? I mean, she did try to kill Andy the first time she appeared, and even after she made friends it doesn't seem she's changed much. You said your power wasn't so great that you could read the minds of Puella Magi or stalk all of them, but I'd like to have more information."

"It just takes her more time," Madoka said, still with a confident expression on her face. "She's been through almost as much as you, despite her appearance. I won't say that every single person has hope and innocence within them, but she'll come out eventually, and maybe even help with your wish. She's just like Kyoko-chan, in a way."

"…Did you see the last universe she created?" Homura asked, as if almost embarrassed. "…Nothing, I'm just curious on how different it was."

"Are you wondering about identity?" Madoka asked. "The current 'me' is a combination of all the Madokas that have been in the time loop with you, so I share all of the memories. You're not under any hidden influences now, and I won't tell you how to live your life. It's not that big of a deal anyways. You're used to being able to see everything that happens as the world line changes, but a single version or identity of you is fine, too. If it's something concerning me, you'll notice it, but since Zusa changes space and mindsets rather than events in time, you didn't notice the last edit she made. I'm sorry, Homura-chan." Madoka flashed an awkward smile. "I'm still not that smart, so I can't really comfort you." Homura closed her eyes. Since she had stumbled upon this dreamlike world, bits and fragments of the last world had awakened in her memory. She could recall some of the sweet and loving moments she had shared together with Andy, but couldn't recall any of her past emotions. Could this Andy and this "me"… really be happy together? "Homura-chan, I'll see you tomorrow night," Madoka said with a smile as she began to wisp away like sand. "You're about to be woken up."

Homura brushed open her eyelids wearily, her mind in a total daze. Andy had sat up by her side and had shaken her awake. "Ah, Homuchan," Andy said. "Sorry for waking you up, but I'm getting up for work. Thought I should tell you. Thanks for the night…" There was an awkward pause between the two. Homura was a bit angry that she had been woken, and part of her wanted to just sleep with Andy forever so she could be with Madoka and only Madoka. But I guess I should be thankful, since he's the one that allowed me this in the first place, Homura reasoned.

"It's fine," Homura said as she sat up, wondering what she should do. "Have a nice day at work." Homura embraced the boy in a deep hug and a small kiss. Andy sat there for a bit, confused. "I believe in you," Homura said, not knowing whether or not she was lying.

"Uh… Thanks, Homuchan," Andy said as he left the bedroom. Homura lay back down on the bed and looked at the clock. She had about an hour more of sleep until she had to get up for school. In all honesty she had slept rather well due to Andy's presence along with the dream, but she was still a bit sleepy. She could still feel Andy's body warmth all over the bed, and tried to clear her mind as she turned on her side.

Homura tried to pay attention in school as best as she could, but her mind kept drifting. About whether she should care or not care about being honest to Andy, about what would happen with Madoka, about how things would work out with Zusa and Kyubey… It didn't seem to be that big of a problem, as her Soul Gem was still relatively clean, but they were still things to think about.

Homura went up to the usually empty roof to eat her lunch, and was met with a surprising figure. Zusa Kanajo was sitting down with a hamburger in her hands, and Kyubey sat on her shoulder. "Thought you might want to talk about some things," Zusa said.

"Don't you have school?" Homura asked as she sat across from the twintailed girl. Zusa had that friendly expression on her face that Homura could rarely see, but there was no guarantee of Zusa's honesty.

"Come on, that's the first thing that comes to your head?" Zusa asked, as if disappointed. "I got here with my motorcycle. It's lunch break for us, too. Anyways," Zusa said between bites. "How'd the night go with pretty boy? Did he just rant for ninety minutes straight, like a self-absorbed history teacher?"

"There's actually something concerning magic that I want to talk about," Homura cut to the point as she glared at the white-tailed creature. "I'm glad Kyubey's here as well."

"As you can see, he's not completely powerless." Zusa was still talking with a casual expression. "Your presence may reawaken his other powers as well, so try not to abuse this 'granting wishes' thing. I won't kill him, but if it gets too out of hand, I might have to do another rewrite of the universe. Man, explaining things is such a drag! But I can't have people be biased, so I have to erase memories…"

"Is this one of Kyubey's plots to harvest energy?" The catlike figure jumped down from Zusa's shoulder and paced in a circle before lying down.

"I've been busy with other things," Kyubey responded vaguely. "But no, this isn't something that I'm in control of." Homura glanced at Kyubey, then back to Zusa, feeling kind of doubtful.

"It's telling the truth," Zusa said as she finished off her meal and sipped her soda. "I can tell when Kyubey lies."

"But I can't tell when you lie," Homura said softly.

"Listen, Homura-san, I'm just trying to get by here," Zusa said, slightly annoyed. "Not everyone has the luxury of making friends, especially when some have to jump from universe to universe and see acquaintances die due to something stupid as fate ordered by this little white demon. And don't say that everyone has the luxury of changing fate, either. I didn't mention this, but I'm not a necromancer. I can change minds and erase memories, but I can't restore the body."

"Sorry…" Homura muttered, still looking at Kyubey. "I really don't understand all of this, anyways."

"Isn't this Andy's ideal?" Kyubey asked as it stood up. "A godless world without any plans for human beings. Everybody can choose their own life and their own meaning. Due to the lack of my presence in your lives, none of you four have been predestined for anything. But could it be that I'm really correct in saying that humans like to be ordered about? You're still asking questions instead of finding answers, after all."

"…Hmph," Zusa said as she flicked Kyubey's fluffy tail. "Get out of here. If you didn't have any favors to ask me of, don't come our way." With that, the white creature scampered away. "Anyways, Homura," Zusa turned to look at the soft pair of purple eyes in front of her. "You can't expect everything to work out with Madoka and Andy if you're honest to both of them. There will probably be a time soon where that boy will have his love for you tested… And if he fails, what then? Well, that's all the advice I'm giving you." Zusa stood up and headed to the edge of the roof, and Homura followed her, slightly worried about something. "I'll be fine," Zusa scoffed as she leapt over the fence and fell three stories to the ground. The twintailed girl landed softly, and summoned her sleek motorcycle, then disappeared into the city streets.

Honest as possible, right? Homura thought as she walked home. Or should I say, honest as reasonable? She was still going to tell Andy about the dream sequence, but decided to change her phrasing a little. When she got home, Homura snapped out her cell phone and called Andy's number. "Come over today. I have things to talk to you about." The boy was over in a few minutes, and stood in the doorway awkwardly. "Come in," Homura said as she took Andy by the arm, and signaled to him to sit down next to her.

"…There was another motive behind what you did this morning, right?" Andy spoke softly.

Homura sighed. "When we slept together… Madoka appeared in my dreams, but apparently it's only when I'm sleeping together with you. I don't want you to have any wrong ideas about this, okay? I didn't know beforehand, and it did feel nice to touch you, to hug you…" Andy only turned away slightly for a bit, but turned back to face Homura.

"…It's fine, Homuchan. I'm more than happy to serve you this way. If you want to stay in bed all day…"

"Listen, I really do like you," Homura suddenly said. "I… I want you to stay the night again and help with dinner and stuff." Homura was saying this hesitantly, but without a blush. Guilt, Andy thought.

"So, if our relationship escalates, the dream world you're in with Madoka gets better, too?" Andy concluded. Homura looked down at her hands, which were pressed against her thighs nervously. Andy really wasn't sure what to say. "Okay, I'm not going to get angry or anything, but try not to escalate things too fast, okay? Especially if it's sex-related… If I'm able to grant your wishes somehow through trust, I want you to genuinely feel for me, and not just pretend." Geez…. Homura thought as she suddenly pressed up against Andy, pulling him into a deep embrace. Once Madoka is mentioned, I'm all like this…

"Stroke my hair and kiss me," Homura said. "It's fine, really." Andy did just that, softly, delicately, gently. Homura calmed down a bit, but there was still a lot on her mind. "I don't know why it turned out like this," she said as she pulled away. "It doesn't seem to be Kyubey's plot or anything, it just happened…"

"And so there's free will, and we can make the most of it," Andy smiled. "I know that the highest place I can get to in your heart is… Second place, but that's fine with me."

Homura nodded. "Thanks, Andy. I'm sure it'll all work out."

"Thanks to you as well, Homura. I guess we should call Kyoko about this, right?" Andy took out his phone and realized that Kyoko didn't have a cell phone. He called Zusa instead and told her to pass the message. "Tell Kyoko-chan that I'm staying at Homura's again, okay? She can stay at my place if she wants to."

"So you really are going through with the relationship?" Andy felt as if the girl on the other end was shaking her head. "Well, best of luck to you two." With that, Zusa hung up, and the young couple was left to spend another night together.

"Hitting the arcades again?" Zusa asked as she appeared behind Kyoko, who was dancing on the dance machine again. "You know, my family has a lot of money, but probably not enough to support say ten more years of this. You can borrow from Andy or Homura, but that might only extend it to thirteen or fourteen years. Ah, whatever. Dance the jealousy away, huh?"

"How did you give up your loves?" Kyoko said, still moving her feet. She had candy in her mouth again.

"They faded away eventually," Zusa shrugged. "Anyways, Andy wanted me to tell you that he was staying another night with Homura-san, and that you could stay at his house if strange stuff goes down at mine's again. But I actually wanted to raise another issue…"

"Their relationship's going that fast?" Kyoko finished the current dance and didn't press to go on for the next one. The redhead got off the dance machine and turned to Zusa suspiciously. "There's something more to this, isn't there?"

"Apparently sleeping with Andy and catching his love allows Homura to have her wishes granted in her dreams," Zusa said rather long-windedly. Kyoko took a bit of time to digest the sentence. "You're not going to request him, or anything?" Zusa didn't have a mocking smile on, as if she really wasn't joking.

"He doesn't love me anyways," Kyoko said solemnly. "And if Homura's dream was to see Madoka, I don't know if I'd be able to see Sayaka, even with wishes granted. I'm still not too sure what actually happened to her soul after disappearing. I think there's a God from time to time, but as for what happens to individual souls…"

"Two main methods of necromancy," Zusa said flatly, cutting off Kyoko's pondering. "Number one – summon the soul from wherever it escaped to and put it back in the original body, or whatever thing can contain the body. Number two was Homura-san's method, which was to loop back time and live with another version of said person. I can't do either of them, sadly. But if Andy gains enough power…"

"You're not going to trick me into manipulating anyone," Kyoko said as she left the arcade, Zusa slowly trailing behind her. "I assume none of your friends are alive for a reason."

"The only reason that the friends I had made stayed dead was that resurrection would collapse the fabric of this set of universes," Zusa said. "You can ask Kyubey about it, but there are plenty of resurrections that won't damage anything when performed."

"Whatever," Kyoko said as she chewed another stick of Pocky. "I'm going to stay at Andy's apartment, if you don't mind."

"Tsk," Zusa said when Kyoko started to head off in another direction. "Have fun masturbating, won't you?" Kyoko "tsk"ed under her breath in response.

"I love you so much," Andy whispered in Homura's ear. Homura was on Andy's lap again, reading one of the books she had checked out from the library. With Andy's help, homework got done in a lot less time, as well as with cooking and other chores. The boy still was rather clumsy with his fingers from time to time, but he didn't run the risk of lopping off fingers anymore.

"Yeah… Thanks," Homura said. Andy had her in a deep embrace, taking in deep breaths of Homura's hair. He seemed to be content, but at the same time noticed Homura's feelings. It's for Madoka, Homura reminded herself.

"If it's possible that I can grant your wish completely…" Andy started. "For Madoka to be back on this world, and her role fulfilled by someone I find in the multiverse. What are you going to do with me, then?"

"…Things wouldn't have to change too much," Homura said hesitantly. "You'd still be… A very good friend, and of course…" Homura really didn't know what to say.

"It's fine if we can't do things like this anymore if…" Andy paused, as if trying to correct himself. "When I grant your wish. But this current moment…" He trailed off after that, and neither of the two had any more to say. The book in Homura's hands was a slice-of-life light novel, with nothing too spectacular or extraordinary. "If only we could live lives like those in books," Andy said.

"Sorry," Homura said. "You probably don't like literature as mundane as this. I guess I'm just kind of tired from all of the fantasy stuff I've actually been in." Andy took a deep breath again, and pressed his head up past Homura's shoulder.

"It's fine," Andy said. "If anything, I should be apologizing. It must feel I'm kind of spoiled, right?"

"That's not the case," Homura said. "I think that for people that have been in desperate situations… Most of their thoughts don't consist of judging the ones that haven't. They just want to get through with whatever they're going through. Or at least, that's how it is for me. There's no point judging someone you don't really understand…. Sorry. I guess that meant I don't quite understand you."

"It's okay, Homuchan…" Andy tightened his grip. "You're so sweet."

"It's getting late," Homura said as she changed her position in Andy's arms so she was facing him. "I guess we should sleep, huh?"

"My pleasure," Andy said with a loving smile. The lights went out soon enough, and Homura felt the comfortable warmth but the uncomfortable stuffiness yet again as she drifted off to sleep. The happiness of love is just an odd and inconvenient happiness, she thought. Andy had his chest pressed up against Homura's, and the heartbeats beat in a pleasant pattern. Homura adjusted herself so she would be pressing against the softer muscles. Madoka's breasts weren't that big anyways, she thought. Madoka… That was the only thing Homura thought of as she drifted off to sleep.

For the rest of the school nights, Andy and Homura spent their nights in a similar fashion. Things would come up in Homura's dreams from time to time. Elegant chairs, then tables, and then maybe some cups of tea. But the background and sky was still completely blank, no matter how sweet this small section seemed. I want… More of Madoka's love, more of Madoka's world, Homura thought. She didn't confront Madoka about the specific results of doing what she was thinking of, but felt it was worth a shot anyways. I'm sure Andy would be gentle…

It shouldn't effect Zusa or Kyoko, or anything that's related to demons, Homura thought. After her shower on Friday night, Homura decided to put on a much lighter dress. She didn't have anything too sexy, but it was probably still more fitting for the situation than pants. "Andy," Homura said as she returned from the shower. The boy looked surprised at her choice of dress, and noticed a faint flush on Homura's cheeks. She hadn't had too much time to masturbate to Madoka while Andy had been here, and thus felt kind of pent up inside. "Don't you ever feel like doing… ecchi things?"

"Perverted things…" Andy muttered in awe, gazing at Homura's slight yet elegant curves. "This is for me granting your wish, right…? I don't know, isn't it more of a mental thing, about me knowing all the specific circumstances of your wish, and being able to tell that somehow…"

"It's about you connecting to my mind in particular," Homura said as she walked over to Andy's side and sat down. "And as you said, sex is actually a legitimate way to form emotional ties." Homura wondered how well she would be able to imagine Madoka in Andy's place during the act, anyways. It would be awkward, but she didn't care.

"Es… STDs," Andy suddenly said out of the blue. Way to spoil the mood, smart ass, Homura thought, but she didn't show her frustration. "We tested in the previous world, but it might be a bit different here… If… If you really want to, we should probably get tested first. And by ecchi things you don't mean full-on sex, right? Because then something else would be an issue…"

"Let's go to the hospital and get it over with," Homura said as she walked back to the halls and began changing into her casual clothes. Why was her heart beating so fast, anyways? It probably wouldn't even feel that good or bad… Hmph. The couple made their way to a nearby hospital, and got out in around twenty minutes. "That was kind of a waste," Homura said as she walked alongside Andy. They were both clean, and Homura was completely infertile. It might have something to do with being a Puella Magi, in any case…

"What do you have in mind for 'ecchi things', anyways?" Andy said, as if exhausted. "You and I probably both want to avoid fellatio… Well, I'm pretty sure that just means oral sex with the guy on the receiving end. You can imagine how terrible it would taste for you."

"Did we do oral things in the other world?" Homura asked as the couple entered the apartment again, Homura quickly changing into the nightgown. If she would have to taste crap, she would do it. Andy ate the pinecone, and I could eat a lot more…

"It was mostly just foreplay, to warm you up, I think," Andy said hesitantly. "You were usually on the receiving end. I would always make sure you were ready before actually doing anything…"

"Get to it, then," Homura said as she lay down on the bed, looking around shyly. "You liked the scent of my panties, didn't you?"

"Homuchan…" Andy sighed. "Let's slow the pacing a bit. I want you to enjoy this as much as possible." With that, Andy took Homura's arms and pulled her up to a sitting position, and then embraced her in a deep, long kiss, stroking her hair and back. Homura's body started to relax a bit, and little by little she felt a hint of warmth inside. It's Madoka… right? Or could it be that I really like him, and in this sense too…

"I still know your soft spots," Andy muttered with a tender smile as he pushed back. "Let's try this for a week or so, shall we? I'm still not sure if…"

"A week for penis enlarging techniques to take hold?" Homura cracked dryly, but Andy laughed anyways.

"You… This 'you' probably wouldn't like something that hard, in any case," Andy suddenly grew sullen. "You have to get accustomed to the fact that I'm the one doing it… Homuchan, please." Homura tried to avoid looking at those sad, earnest eyes with honesty. "You don't have to distance yourself anymore…. I'm still kind of like that, you know." Homura suddenly grew angry, but felt something bad would happen if she reacted impulsively. "I wanted to be independent, and not have to rely on anyone's support or praise. Even if it made me strong, it still made me extremely lonely. Please don't think that this is just another something you have to endure for a happy ending with Madoka." Andy took Homura's hands in his and pressed on them gently. "I'm here for you. You don't have to struggle every bit of the way. You've been acting differently since the day after my birthday… When you hug me, I want you to really mean it…"

"How could you say that?" Homura said almost coldly as she moved back slightly. "How can you… How can I…" Homura took a deep breath and composed herself. "Okay, I like you, Andy, I really do. But how can I fall into your arms and be sure that you'll indeed be there for me? You wield no magic whatsoever, and I don't even know if the source inside you might blow you to bits randomly. One slip-up in a fight against a demon, or something like that… And you're gone." Homura held back the lump in her throat. "When Madoka ascended, I might've distanced myself even more. I don't know. She again became the only one that was stable, a goddess that wouldn't die out unlike all these other human investments…"

"Well, we have the present," Andy said. "Everything in the future becomes something to worry about, and everything in the past becomes a painful memory, but the present is where we can test our love. It's not this current second or the current millisecond after, but something moving, changing, something you can't describe. Everything will pass and change eventually, but you can't just hold back for fear of getting hurt. We're about to do something that can alter our relationship, and maybe what you think about forever. I want to talk about this more in detail later, but for now…" Andy leaned in for another kiss, an even longer one that pressed with the tongues. Homura suddenly felt extremely comfortable as Andy moved his lips and hands farther down her body. It was okay to just give in like this… right? "I love you, okay?" Andy looked up into the shining pair of purple eyes, and a new attachment formed between the couple.

"Did you enjoy it?" Andy asked as he shifted himself back up to Homura's face. Homura was still breathing softly as she readjusted her dress and panties, amazed at how much she had been pleasured.

"…I didn't think you could go on for so long," Homura said with a smile. Andy had taken off his shirt, but the uncomfortable bulge could still be seen in his shorts. "Listen, if you really want to…"

"It's fine," Andy said as he pressed himself up against Homura. "I'm comfortable here."

"I can't believe you licked so much, and even used your tongue," Homura said, embarrassed. "I never thought that the liquids down there would taste anywhere near pleasant."

"It's actually not bad once you get used to it," Andy said as he moved in for a kiss. Homura flinched for a bit, but eventually accepted the lips. Immediately, she drew back, a bitter taste in her mouth.

"How did you even…"

"Because I love you, Homuchan," Andy said as he looked into her eyes fondly.

"Geez," Homura said, brushing Andy's hair with her hand. "You're such an idiot." Andy only smiled in response. "You wanted to talk about something?"

"Ah, well," Andy said, readjusting himself and sitting Homura on his lap again. "It was just that there seems to be… Two kinds of love, for me. One is to make an ultimate sacrifice for something and deny your own existence, and the other is the desire to completely own something, as if that person would be chained to your wrist. Neither is really 'the true love', but it's just… You know. I'm a male, and I'm imperfect…"

"I get that feeling of upright greed sometimes too," Homura said, suddenly serious. "It's not just you, Andy. Your gender shouldn't make any difference in my feelings for you…"

"But the sex part of it, you know?" Andy said ruefully. "Remember when I said that the ordinary person isn't all that different from the ultimate criminal? The thing is…" Andy sighed. "I'm a pretty curious guy, and browsed the internet quite a bit before I met you. I'm surprised that you didn't ask me about the porn I exposed myself to, and just accepted that I was a decent guy. I liked experimenting with my mind and body, you know? I didn't have any particular fetish for… forced sex, but from time to time I'd indulge in it anyways. And no, not that I mean actually doing it, but just…" Another sigh. "The fans of forced would say vanilla got boring, but both get boring eventually. Even for me, there's a sense of power when I imagine or look at those things, but it's usually not enough to outweigh the guilt afterwards. I don't know, it's just that with girl-on-girl relationships, there's not really this part of the psyche, you know?" Homura could sense Andy getting less aroused under her legs.

"You can't really blame yourself for something you don't have control over," Homura said as she stroked Andy's hair. "Desires just pop up out of nowhere… And I hope you're not saying that it'd be a better world if there were only girls that reproduced asexually."

"But I mean…" Andy started. "I don't know, sometimes it feels like I'm just controlled by biology. Even the most chastise or abstinent of men would have the urge to stick their penis in everything they see. It just feels so bad sometimes, when I think of girls being much more loyal, because they actually have to pick a stable mate. I hate this 'nothing is precious and just spread your seed' feeling I get. In the drive for sex, conscious thinking just moves to the back of the brain. Sometimes, it just comes as a surprise that societies have the decency to make rape something that's illegal…"

"But you were wonderful tonight with me, Andy," Homura said as she pressed her hand up against the boy's chest. She supposed it was attractive in its own manner. "Much better than I expected it to be."

"Maybe I'm just too afraid that I'll mess things up," Andy said with a smile. "I mean, when it comes to humans, psychological suffering can get a lot more complex. Human females are individual and sentient beings, I guess. There's reasons and emotions, strong emotions. And most important of all… You're the one that's precious to me, Homuchan. Sorry I had to say so many cheesy things, but I want to think of you as far more than just my beloved doll in a treasure chest."

"I…" Homura started, unaware whether she should be saying this. "I love you too, Andy." She didn't even know if she was lying anymore, but didn't care. It just felt good to say it.

That night, Homura's dream world became much more elaborate. There were beautiful forests full of yellow-green grass, a flowery meadow that overlooked a Roman city on the hills below. There were suddenly clouds in the sky, slowly dancing with the wind, and beyond the Roman city there was a cool and steady sea. Beyond that was still a distorted white area, along with the very edges of the forest, but it was amazing enough.

"No animals, and the city there is mostly emptied," Madoka said as she tapped Homura's shoulder from behind. Homura turned around, and Madoka was no longer in the white robe. Her hair was tied in those simple two frills again, and she was wearing casual summer clothes. "But Homura-chan, you really should be a little less reckless when you're awake," Madoka said concernedly. "I'm glad you two were able to work things out, but don't request him so coldly next time. You did enjoy it, right?"

"Ye-Yeah," Homura said, still awed by the sudden changes in the world. "I'm fine." Homura darted her eyes around again, and noticed a few shaky spots in the sky as well. If I end up having full-on sex, maybe this world would be completed, Homura thought. "This place is really pretty. Is this your world or my world, exactly?"

"A combination of both," Madoka replied. "I would actually want to be back home someday, but it felt wrong to simulate any other living people that were there."

"You said that there were no designated areas for souls to go to after a person died," Homura said as she took Madoka's hand and started across the hills, towards the city. "But that doesn't mean there's absolutely no way…"

"I'm not sure what Sayaka-chan would say if I met her again after she came back from wherever she is now," Madoka said worriedly. "If you're asking for specifics about Andy, I just don't know about him. It seems he was just a container picked at random for a near unlimited amount of magical energy, maybe by wizards or Puella Magi in another world. If his soul leaves his body, I'm not sure if it would find its way back to you…"

"Never mind about that," Homura said, thinking deeply about what Andy had said. Sure, it may be that I just want to be alone with Madoka, forever, but what would she want? To have Sayaka and Kyoko and Mami and all of us back together, maybe just living in our city again and not a place nearly as pretty as this. And since Andy's attached to her wish as well in this chain, he probably wouldn't hesitate to grant it…

"This place is kind of depressing," Madoka said as the couple entered the city. There were marble statues and brilliant architecture everywhere, but no people around them. Antique sculptures and machines sat in the windows of shops, and there was no one around to sell them. Chariots were parked on the edges of the road with no horses to pull them.

Just alone, Homura thought to herself. Just a couple. That would be what Andy would want, and maybe it's similar to what I would want, but Madoka… "Don't worry," Homura turned to Madoka with a smile. "I promise you, there's going to be a happy ending for all of us." She remembered when Madoka had said something similar to that to her, and feeling of warmth surged through her heart. "You'll be able to see other people again, and do karaoke and browse the shops… I can't be everything to you, huh?"

"Homura-chan," Madoka said sullenly. "…I'm sorry. I do want to see more people that just you, but you're still precious to me. If I had the whole world but not you, I would have nothing."

"…Right," Homura replied. She wondered what Andy would say, and decided not to say it. He would probably say something along the lines of "but if you had only me, it wouldn't be enough, right?"

"I tried to make the world better," Madoka said with a fond smile. "But in the end, I could only save some of my friends. Puella Magi still disappear into nothingness, and demons replace the role of the Witches. Maybe Zusa-san was right, Homura-chan. Maybe you really do need to prioritize."

"Neither Andy nor I have a heart like yours…" Homura said, still turning the riddle over in her head. Someone would have to take on the despair, if Homura and the other four Puella Magi she had looped through time with would be provided with happy days. She couldn't imagine Zusa doing it, and felt like lying scum when she thought of letting Andy step up to take the chance.

The rest of the date with Madoka felt a bit too serious, even if Madoka would smile and change the topic. Somehow, it felt like everyone had one of these dream worlds, and was alone in it with just their imagination. If everyone could be a little less lonely, it would be really nice.

"When does your summer vacation start?" Andy asked Homura as the couple ate breakfast together the next morning. "I was thinking that if we were going to start having actual sex in addition to this oral stuff, it might get quickly out of hand if it interrupts with your schedule."

"Just one more week of school, actually," Homura said with a bright expression on her face. She wasn't sure if she was genuinely happy because of Andy's presence, or just faking it so he wouldn't worry about the stuff that she had thought of in the dream with Madoka last night. "For some reason, we have summer break earlier this year… In any case, I'll be looking forwards to it."

"Ah…" Andy said, lost in his thoughts for a bit. "To tell the truth, I've never imagined giving oral sex to any other girl, as well. I've always imagined the taste and all, but I guess you're really someone special to me."

Homura sighed, wondering how much would be accomplished if she just had sex with Andy. "I'm going to do some thinking. Do the dishes for me, okay?" A few minutes later, Andy was knocking on Homura's door. "Come in," Homura said as she put down her pencil. She was spending all day and night with him today, and tomorrow, too… If that didn't boost their relationship, she guessed she would have to go even farther.

"Drawing?" Andy asked as he pulled up the second chair and moved up to Homura's side. "You're pretty good," he said as he observed Homura's drawing of Madoka. She was in her school uniform again, with that same friendly smile as always. "Better than me when I was your age," Andy said. "But this picture is missing a bit."

"I don't really like doing backgrounds," Homura admitted as she reflected upon her drawing.

"I wasn't talking about backgrounds," Andy said with a smile as he took up Homura's pencil. "She's a little bit on the left side of the paper, isn't she?" In a few minutes, Andy had drawn an image of Homura alongside the sketch of Madoka, and the two images fit quite well together.

"You draw me better than I could draw myself," Homura said. "I'm not that pretty, though… And our art styles don't match up that great. But what about you?"

"There's only enough room here for the two of you," Andy said, his tone changing a bit as it neared the end of his sentence. "…Sorry, I didn't mean to complain or anything, it just came out like that…"

"Hey," Homura said as she pushed up against Andy in a hug and pushed him over to the bed. "I love you, okay?" It felt so good saying that, but it was a strange kind of happiness, as if saying it had became obligatory. Soon, Homura had her lips pressed against Andy's, and the two rustled together on the blankets. If she could have not just one, but two ideal worlds, and split herself… That would make life so much more convenient.

The rest of the week passed rather smoothly. There was a lot more kissing and hugging that Homura expected, but it was something that she was comfortable with and enjoyed. I just have to think of who he is rather than the body he rests in, Homura would remind herself. The dream world with Madoka didn't change much, which was why she felt all the more eager to go all the way that Friday night.

Dinner and showering had been done pretty swiftly and efficiently, and both Andy and Homura were intent on doing the act. When the couple sat on the bed, Homura in her one-piece dress and Andy in shorts but no shirt, a sudden awkwardness overcame them. Andy's eyes darted around nervously as Homura tried not to stare at the bulge in his pants.

"Uh… It's not just grotesque, but it's not that big, either," Andy said.

"It looks longer than my hand," Homura said. "It should be fine, Andy. My breasts or hips aren't that big. Come on," Homura suddenly felt irritated. "I showed you mine a week ago, and I still don't get to see yours?"

"Yeah, but that's because I'm a pervert who actually likes breasts to be small…"

"Well I'm not exactly your everyday horny female," Homura said as she pulled down Andy's pants with a swift movement of her hands. She wasn't sure what had caught her eyes first, but couldn't help widening them in surprise. "You… You're…"

"Circumcised," Andy said, blushing heavily. "My parents weren't necessarily religious, and neither am I, as you noticed, but I think it's a father to son thing. It probably came off right after I was born."

"I'm… sorry," Homura said as she gulped an odd feeling down her throat.

Andy shook his head. "Don't feel sorry. It doesn't hurt or anything because of it."

"Not just that, but…" Homura couldn't help showing a look of disgust as she shifted her position around the crotch. "You have scars and scabs… I didn't think you had masturbated while living with me."

"I found time," Andy said. "It's mostly just my fault. I don't do it that much, but I guess I just rub a little too hard sometimes. I don't even notice it begins to bleed until a day or so after. They don't heal as easily since the blood will usually dry when the skin loosens, and every time I get aroused or sleep, it cracks open to an extent… I was kind of hoping you'd relieve me of this problem."

"All these nerves," Homura said as she moved her gaze up to Andy. "It looks like there's so much blood in here, as if it's almost painful. Some parts of it are even throbbing… I guess I sort of understand how it's like to be male."

"It's something along the lines of an itch," Andy said. "…But it's an itch that would actually go away if you rub it. In any case, in that other world things went over a lot more smoothly. Kyoko had this aphrosodiac and such, and even if I did do foreplay that first time there wasn't all this…"

"Shut up, will you?" Homura said as she embraced Andy in a deep kiss. "Maybe I'm not too aroused, but we're going through with this."

"I'll try to change the pacing of my foreplay," Andy said as Homura pulled away. "But… Are you sure? This is your virginity, after all. I assume no Witches or anything tried to do anything…"

"That's sick," Homura said, but readjusted herself to make Andy feel comfortable. "Sorry. It's as such, I'm a perfectly pure girl in this sense. But it shouldn't matter too much if I approached another girl, and I can't imagine doing it with any other guy. I don't care if it'll hurt. I'm not just using you for Madoka, believe me. Even if you're going to shove something like that in me, it'll be fine, because I really want to connect with you." Andy nodded, and maybe for the first time, both felt completely secure as they looked into each other's eyes.

"Two times, huh?" Homura said after the act had been finished, and the couple snuggled together in bed. She was exhausted, but still managed to flash a smile at Andy. "You're really into my body, aren't you?"

"I could've gone for a third if you really wanted it," Andy said, still panting a bit. "So you really could just tell from your insides…" Andy blushed as he shifted his position. "Were you all right there? I don't think I went too fast, but there was still blood and everything…"

"It was fine," Homura said as she hugged Andy back. "I've had physical pain far worse than that. Slamming into buildings and such. It just felt weird, was all." Homura paused for a bit, and then looked up into Andy's dark brown eyes. "How about me? Did I do well?" She didn't want to bring up Kyoko, but still wanted to know at least this.

"Homuchan…" Andy said, trailing off before embracing Homura in a deep and long kiss. "Don't be stupid," Andy said as he pulled away, still locking his eyes with hers, and with that Homura suddenly felt a lot better. "You're my precious, so you should be the one that's pleased."

"…Thanks," Homura said as she pressed herself up against Andy's neck. "Thanks a lot. I guess from now on you shouldn't have any more scabs, right?"

"Yeah…" Andy smiled contently. "I guess I shouldn't…. Listen, during this summer break, you'll have plenty of opportunities to just spring up requests on me. Personally, I want to keep these sorts of acts at our home, but if you really need to some time, just ask me. I'd feel bad if I was the only one requesting it."

"Right… Thanks," Homura repeated. "I would never miss a chance to connect with you. I'm sure it'll start to feel really good soon, with the way you move and such."

"I can't believe this is happening," Andy said as he stroked Homura's hair. "This is all too sweet, a dream… I love you, Homuchan. Sweet dreams."


	4. Condemnation

Condemnation

When Homura fell into her dream, everything in the world seemed much brighter and patched together. The air smelt fresher and the blood ran through her body faster. There were no white gaps or fuzzy edges around objects in the distance. Everything had crisp, clear outlines and was definitely real.

"I didn't think he could do that," Madoka said as Homura turned to look at the city again. "A large number of other Puella Magi are here, too. Looks like we aren't alone anymore, Homura-chan."

"…Yes," Homura said, smiling. She was surprised that Madoka didn't start the conversation with the act that had happened a few hours ago. "Can you summon any Puella Magi here, say, Kyoko or Mami or…"

"It seems to be a random gathering of ones that have passed away," Madoka said as she took Homura's hand, leading her to the city. "This meadow and small forest over here is only accessible to the two of us, though. Before we go have fun, I just have to say one thing. Don't expect too much of Andy, okay?"

"I got more than I expected a few moments ago in bed," Homura said earnestly. "Ah… I'm sorry, you must not be able to even communicate with guys anymore, right?"

"Ah, it's okay," Madoka said. "They really aren't that different once you look past physical differences and gender roles. "Now then, Homura-chan, let's get going."

The city was quite fascinating with all the new Puella Magi there. There were ones from every culture, and they all seemed to get along peacefully, taking turns running all of the shops and attractions. Surely, Homura decided. This place was much more interesting than the one in the conscious world, and she had plenty more fun on her date with Madoka than on an outing with Andy. I wonder when I'll be able to do those sorts of ecchi things with Madoka again, huh? Homura thought.

The night passed soon enough, and Homura awoke fully satisfied with her sleep, smiling at the sleeping boy by her side. "Ummph," Andy muttered as he tossed over to try to grab Homura. He woke up when Homura dodged the grab and he hit air. "Homuchan…" Andy said drowsily. "Glad you had a good sleep. Wouldn't want you to feel traumatized or anything."

"It's weird saying this, but what we did last night made things so much better in the other world," Homura said as she sat up. "I can't think of any other things, but it shouldn't matter. It's good enough as it is."

"That's nice to hear," Andy said, and then paused in his thoughts. "I didn't say it before, but no matter how I look at it, me having sex with you just feels strange. If we eliminate the difference in height, kissing and hugging should match up fine, but for me to have this role in the relationship… It just kind of disturbs me."

"Hey, come on," Homura knelt back down and flicked one of Andy's short bangs. "Sex is the act of connecting with each other, even if it is sometimes imbalanced. When I feel your heartbeat when your chest is pressed up against mine, and we both have the same rhythm going… It's fine, I think. We're young adults with feelings for each other, after all."

"Thanks, Homuchan," Andy smiled. "What should we have for breakfast?"

Right after the meal, the doorbell rang. Andy opened it to receive Zusa and Kyoko, Zusa with a mischievous grin and Kyoko with an anxious expression. "Oh, you guys," Homura said. She wasn't quite in the mood for an outing, exactly. She wondered how much sex with Andy she needed to have on a daily basis to keep the dream world running, how much she would have to have to completely grant the wish, and how much she actually wanted from him due to her true feelings.

"So," Zusa started, clearing her throat and leaving the door open. "Kyoko, are you really going to just accept the fact that Homura has him, now? What about some three way action, huh?"

"Don't say you came all the way here just to say that," Andy said, annoyed.

"It's not a far walk, and I was checking up on Kyoko too," Zusa claimed, and with a 'hmph' she left the apartment and went into the halls.

"I haven't been here for a while," Kyoko said as she closed the door. "I was just curious on how you moved in everything, and… Did you two really do it or what?"

"You told her, didn't you?" Homura shot a glare at Andy.

"I'm not going to lie to one of my best friends," Andy said, causing Kyoko to attempt to hide the fact that she was flattered.

"Kyoko…" Homura sighed. "Let's go up to the bedroom."

"Three-way, here we come!" Zusa announced from outside the door. Apparently she had been listening through the cracks. Homura was only slightly annoyed, but didn't change her decision. The two Puella Magi and the powerless boy sat on Homura's bed. Kyoko was fascinated by some random part of the floor, Homura was looking at her friend, and Andy was alternating gazes between the two girls.

"Do you really have feelings for him?" Kyoko asked softly.

"Yeah," Homura said. "He's more than just a tool for me, although I do plan on using his presence to the best of my advantage."

"He's…" Kyoko paused, not sure how to put it. "Really something, huh? It must be even better for you seeing as he views you as more than a lonely friend," Andy was embarrassed as well now, and suddenly found interest in another part of the walls.

"Listen, Kyoko," Homura took the redhead's delicate hand. "Currently, he's fueling my dream world, but it's not like you're nothing to me, okay? I don't know what will happen to my wish, but if you need him… Andy," Homura turned to the boy. "If Kyoko needs you to spend a night with you, it's fine, right?"

"Y-Yeah," Andy said as he eyed Kyoko, still embarrassed.

Kyoko shook her head. "That isn't really needed. I was just worried you two would be a little too busy and not spend any more time with me."

"Don't force yourself," Homura reminded her. "Let's see your Soul Gem." Kyoko hesitated for a bit, but eventually held out the red egg-shaped orb. Less than twenty percent of it was covered with Grief. "That actually looks fine," Homura put on an unimpressed look, but then realized what she had just said. "Ah…"

"Kyoko-chan," Andy said as he suddenly moved over to Kyoko's side and hugged her. Homura smiled exhaustedly and embraced the redhead as well. Kyoko couldn't help but blushing, feeling paralyzed. "You're our very good friend, okay? Remember that promise I made you? If we're in trouble and the two of us could just walk away, I'll come back for you, and I'm sure Homura would, too." Andy pulled away, giving Homura the cue to do so as well. "You're not just some street urchin we took pity on. Your voice, your eyes, your smile, your attitude – every piece of you makes up someone we love."

"Ah…" Kyoko flushed. "Thanks…" Kyoko got up from the bed, and looked back at the odd couple. "I promised Zusa I would hang out with her today. It's nice to have friends, but…" Kyoko paused, let out a breath, and smiled. "Enjoy yourselves, please."

Kyoko left the apartment soon enough, and within a few minutes, Homura had her panties peeled back again. It was too much, the rush of adrenaline and then the feeling of contentment as she lay down side by side with Andy. She thought that this kind of happiness would for on for a while, and in a sense she was right. The bliss she felt as the week passed was one beyond her wildest dreams. Homura would often go pants-less, only with a T-shirt on, and Andy would often go shirt-less, and whenever the time came they would do it. There were no great distractions like TV or news or money or sports, just the occasional book from time to time and favors to ask. They always had sex with each other on their mind, and preferred it that way. The days waiting for Andy to come back from work were tough, but it wasn't anything too serious concerning Homura's Soul Gem, and they would do it like mad anyways after he returned home.

And every night, Homura would have an even greater happiness invested in Madoka and the tour around the beautiful, Roman city. This happiness was an even sweeter happiness, seeing girls that had suffered all their lives come to a solace. Sayaka Miki wasn't found there, but it didn't matter too much. Animals like deer and foxes and squirrels would show up in the meadow and forest, and dragonflies and butterflies would spin around through the air. When Homura thought of the obvious problem of food, Madoka just laughed and said that everything got its energy from a form of divine liquid that was in the air and running along the rivers and such. The liquid was sweet and bitter, like an odd tea, and changed according to what the taster wanted in her mouth. It really was something along the lines of a paradise. Madoka was in need of many vacations with her infinite supply of work ahead of her, and because of this world she was grateful for Andy for giving her such an opportunity. And her love for Andy only bettered her love for this world in turn… It was all so terrific.

It was fine for this week, the last two weeks of July and the first few days of August. Homura and Andy would go out on outings with Zusa and Kyoko sometimes, and see all the half-amusing Summer Festivals. Fireworks burst through the air, cotton candy was tossed between the mouths and shared through kisses, and the cool night breeze could be felt through traditional yukatas. It had seemed that Andy's presence warded off the demons to some extent, and the town was relatively safe.

"So," Zusa was striking up another conversation with Kyoko. "Can't believe I didn't ask this before. If you would have to choose who to live with, who would you pick? Sayaka Miki or Andy?"

Kyoko sighed. "Half of the conversations you start with me are always so serious. Weren't you the one that supported idle chit-chat?"

Zusa shrugged. "You're not very good at those, to be honest, and I'm not so egocentric to have a conversation that would have me speaking 90% of the time. Now answer my question."

Kyoko wrenched her eyebrows, as if she had already thought it out but was too shy to say it. "Sayaka. If you regard personality and intelligence, we have a lot more in common."

"Well I mean, Andy's so different from the rest of us." Zusa crossed her arms. "Just because he's different from normal people doesn't mean he's similar to us."

"That shouldn't really matter," Kyoko said. "As long as they share love for each other, it should be fine, right?" Kyoko was only standing a few meters away from the couple as she eyed them thoughtfully. Andy seemed to be in some kind of conversation about how it would be a better life and death for the goldfish he scooped if he just let them into a stream or something.

"We're in deeper waters than you might think," Zusa gave Kyoko a stern eye. "Andy wants to bring us all together, but no matter how you look at it, the four of us have different ideals to strive for. Don't think some sort of all-forgiving lover's chain will do when odds are actually at stake."

"It's been more than a month since you got here," Kyoko frowned. "Are you asking for an unpleasant situation? Because I'm sure that Homura, Andy and I will be able to maintain our dignity. What about you?"

"Hmph," Zusa said. A short silence passed before the earth began to shake, and the world surrounding the two girls blurred.

"Don't tell me you plotted this," Kyoko said as objects began to form in the demon's world. Andy and Homura stumbled up to meet Zusa and Kyoko, both still snapping out of their happy moment together.

"I have nothing to do with this," Zusa said. "But it does seem pretty suspicious. This place has been lacking demons for a while, and a fairly powerful one just pops up here…" A enormous, disembodied hand rose out of the murky shadows, and dwarflike, three-foot tall puppets floated around with rings at its side. Homura strung her bow instantaneously, but as soon as she did so an arrow pierced the air right in front of her face, and she was forced to jump to the side. The disembodied hand rose twenty or thirty stories up into the air, and more puppets flew down from the gaps between its fingers. "Don't suppose you have any ideas, huh?" Zusa asked as Homura struggled to dodge arrows shot from multiple puppets. Homura fired back, but the enemies flew back and forth with the wind, all while shooting volleys of arrows.

Kyoko was soon occupied by fighting a puppet wielding a long spear. The redhead had the advantage of magic and flexibility, but the puppet read her every move, parrying and counterattacking. Zusa faced down a clattering dark puppet that zipped around like a fly, and reformed in half a second every time it was broken to bits or burnt. "Now would be a pretty good time for the red wings," Homura said to Andy.

"I don't know how…" Andy paused, frowning. No one exactly knew what triggered that formation. Homura felt that the red wings was something completely foreign to her, and couldn't summon it from the inside. Andy felt that it required some will on Homura's part, though. The three Puella Magi seemed to be quickly wearing out, pressured too quickly to even bother switching enemies. Andy tensed up as he looked up at the hand, which was flexing its fingers in some odd sort of pattern.

"Get your head in the fight," Zusa called to Andy, frustrated. "I've accepted the fact that I can die in a lot of lame ways, but when I do, I want my entire team to go with me, or at least the ones that came out alive to have fought with their all. If we die here but you don't, I'll make sure all your beloved girls haunt you." Andy looked around, increasing desperate before he noticed a sleek, silver pistol drop from within the hand. It didn't seem to be on purpose, either…

There was no way he was going to hit the hand with a gun like this, never mind cripple it with such a small bullet. But the boy didn't hesitate to dart towards the weapon. Andy's hand caught air, and the pistol was reeled in upwards towards the hand. "Heh heh heh", the hand seemed to laugh sinisterly. In a second, Andy was back on his toes, grasping at the pistol with all of his speed and strength. But he was still too slow and predictable, and the weapon slipped out each time. Finally, as the pistol faltered a bit as it changed its position in the air, Andy twisted his feet and grabbed the weapon with both his hands, diving down onto the ground. But that moment, a blur went past his eyes and his hands were emptied, and he only had a second to get to his feet and observe the position he was in.

Without thinking, Andy's right hand shot out in front of the pistol the puppet was holding. "Homura!" he yelled as a bullet ripped into his hand. A considerable force tugged at his arm as the bullet sank into his flesh, but Andy forced himself to keep his composure. Another bullet lodged in a centimeter or so above the first one, and as the puppet turned his gun a purple arrow ripped through its head, and with that the demon's world started to fizzle into nothingness. "Agh…" Andy groaned, holding his right hand in pain. The bullets were deeply embedded in the thickest parts of his palms.

"Andy…" Homura started as she came up to his side, Kyoko and Zusa following her. "Thank goodness you're all right. It was another red herring, huh?"

"I'm not impressed," Zusa put bluntly. "It would've been a much safer bet if you actually used your body."

"I was surprised my palm did the trick, honestly," Andy said, wondering why the bleeding had stopped. "For some reason, I've always thought bullets would just pass through someone's hand."

"I don't get why the hand would drop that puppet in the first place," Kyoko scratched her head, confused. "Demons these days are so much more complicated."

"Whatever," Zusa said as the world completely returned to normal. Some small child had accidentally shot a play firework at one of the shops. Luckily, no one seemed to be severely injured. "Your open wounds go away after the source is dealt with. It'll probably still be painful to move your hand for a few days, but it's nothing as bad as it would be if there had been real bullets. That's how Puella Magi walk around without severe bruises or cuts." The hole in Andy's hand seemed to have closed completely, but he winced as he closed and opened it. "On another note, throwing out your entire body probably would've been too slow. You really had to act on your instinct, huh?"

"…I know," Andy said, as if depressed. "I'm kind of disappointed that I wasn't able to make a conscious sacrifice."

"If you hadn't done that though, that bullet probably would've hit me straight in the head, or something," Homura said. "Calling my name, too… I didn't think there was a silencer, but I couldn't hear the gunshot at all." There was still an awkward tension between the couple. "Andy, I'm sure you'll be able to prove yourself in future opportunities."

Andy sighed. "I know it's immature of me, but I want to keep having opportunities, you know? Chances for me to test and prove my love for you, and up till now it hasn't been all that serious. I feel like I've indulged a little too much without making my payment, you know?"

"That's how I felt when I first met Madoka," Homura said, making the situation even more uncomfortable.

"And here she goes on about Madoka Kaname…" Zusa said as she took Kyoko's hand. "Come on, Kyoko, let's do something fun."

"Guess I'll be crippled for a while, huh?" Andy asked as he balled and unballed his hand, wincing. "I'm a bit dependent on both hands for performing, er, sex, in any case."

"Well, are we going to do it tonight or what?" Right after Andy had started that silly conversation about the lives and deaths of goldfish, Homura had brought up that other topic. "Like I said, it does feel that I haven't been paying you back enough, at least in the bedroom…"

"All right," Andy sighed. "Feel free to stop any time if it bothers you, all right?"

"I have a plan," Zusa said to Homura over the phone one morning. Andy was out at work, and Homura was sitting in bed reading casually with nothing else to do. "It's not perfect, but it'll be a decent measure of Andy's feelings for you. I'm sure he'll forgive you." And with that, Zusa described her ridiculous plot. Homura agreed to go along with it, for the most part only because she literally had a bitter taste in her mouth.

In the middle of work, Andy received a text from Zusa. "Homura's in trouble. She's at one of the abandoned warehouses near her school. Help!" Andy didn't trust her, but even if there was just a slight chance that Zusa was telling the truth, he was obligated to go anyways. It was Homura, after all…

Andy got up from his seat and dashed out the door, ignoring the glares of his coworkers. An odd suspicion brewed in his heart. It was probably just some sort of plot or prank that the two girls were going to pull on him. But if it is, he was going to be a good victim or test subject. He still felt kind of bad at what had happened in bed last night, although he hadn't done anything forced or rough…

When Andy got to the warehouse, panting with exhaustion, he saw Homura surrounded by a group of eight or nine high school males. You've got to be kidding me, he thought. Homura could easily destroy these brutes in a matter of a few seconds. But she seems to be faking her fear well enough, though. Andy knew that she was definitely faking at this particular moment, but the high school boys didn't.

"Hey, step away from her!" Andy tried to issue the command in a bold voice, but it came out half-rasped since he was more exhausted than he realized. Sex and running are two completely different things, he reasoned in his mind. The young men turned to look at Andy, and around a third of them had cocky, despicable grins.

"Oh, who are you, a wannabe hero?" One of them in a coarse jacket stepped out. "Why not join us? Come on, it'll be fun. You see how cute she is, after all."

"She's my beloved," Andy declared, only blushing in the slightest. "I'm sure at least some of you guys in the group have sisters or even girlfriends. Could you imagine how'd it be if this stuff happened to them?"

"True," the ringleader said as he stepped forwards, and snapped out a pocket knife with a flash of his wrist. Even if it was just one on one, Andy would definitely lose against these sorts of villains. "But she's not my girlfriend, and she's not my sister." The ringleader flashed a wicked smile. "Got anything more to say, pretty boy?"

"Hmph," Andy scoffed. "Don't you think it's kind of homosexual and pathetic to force down a small defenseless girl and watch up to seven or eight different penises contorting and being rubbed and thrusted besides you? Even if you take turns, that's kind of gay. You are mixing your fluids right after each other, after all."

"Listen, cool guy," the villain said, suddenly interested in the conversation. He held out a hand to two of his friends telling them to stay steady. Andy eyed Homura, and she flashed back an almost desperate look. It was kind of confusing. "This is what most men would do if they had the chance. Why do you think it happens in armies? Even in native indigenous peoples, rape and gang-rape happen. I'm sorry it had to happen to your precious little girlfriend, but that's just how it is. We were called here by our usual source and we're just satisfying our urges."

"Wouldn't it be much more satisfying to do it to someone you actually hate, though?" Andy asked, churning thought after thought in his head. "Maybe it's not for sex or anything, and maybe the desire for power and control is universal upon men. But this technique seems to be outdated in this society. Rape was probably a technique for an ambitious male to exert influence among members of the opposite or even the same sex. Since our society doesn't actually tolerate it, you're practically doing nothing here. You'll get horny again sometime, and maybe sometime later you'll feel guilty. That being said, don't I sound really annoying right now? Why not do it to me instead? I have a job and thus have a steady supply of money."

The ringleader gritted his teeth. "If you really want to…"

"Hiroto, that's really gay," one of his friends on the side said.

"Rape him then rape her," Hiroto said as he stepped up to Andy menacingly. "It'll be an even better way to torture her, to see her beloved go through such torture first. Just take turns holding her in place, force her eyes open so she can see what a whiny little faggot her boyfriend really is. Any last words, pretty boy?" Hiroto asked as he kicked Andy in the chest, sending him to the ground with a wince.

"I'm glad I can preserve her decency for a little longer," Andy said with a grim smile. "I took her virginity already, but I still don't want something like this to happen to her."

"You're not going to spout generic moral crap?" Hiroto kicked Andy's side, flipping him over before sending another powerful foot to the buttocks.

"What fate deems to be will happen," Andy said, and with that, Hiroto took the knife and started cutting open Andy's trousers. His friends began following him one by one, and two of them kept Homura pinned down. "I don't think I've ever had a crap that's going to be this painful."

"Use pipes or some of the toys you've brought along if you're going to be too squeamish," Hiroto said as his friends surrounded Andy's side, beating and kicking at him. The victim only gritted his teeth and shut his eyes in frustration. "Oh, let's see how long you can keep that stoic attitude. You're definitely more interesting than her, all right."

Homura couldn't take it anymore. She wouldn't let Zusa's vague plan run its full course, and she would be lying if she said she didn't feel something when she saw Andy like that. In an instant, she shook off the two boys holding onto her and delivered two blows to their stomachs. While they were reeling back from the shock, Homura shot three or four time-distorting arrows at Andy's assailants, and then flew towards him with her angelic white wings.

"What the…?" Hiroto said as time returned to its natural course. "How the hell did she get away?" Andy and Homura were completely gone now, and nowhere near the warehouse when the group of assailants peeked out the door.

"I have a bad feeling about this, boss," one of the more nervous-looking guys said. The vroom of a motorcycle was heard, and Zusa Kanajo appeared in front of the boys with a loud screech.

"Zusa Kanajo?" One of the random boys said, confused. "That popular girl at our school…"

"I'm probably more valuable than Homura-san to rapists like you, huh?" Zusa said with genuine contempt in her voice. "I didn't kill the guy that helps you set up these crimes, but I will give you this." Zusa tossed a bloody finger towards the group, and almost all of them reeled back at the sight. "I gave false info seeing how it would all turn out. Your little hobby ends today, punks." Zusa had the intent to murder all over her face, and her eyes just spelt out "blood".

"You…" a boy spoke up, trying to connect everything Zusa said together. "You're… You're a psychopath!"

"I'm just an avenger," Zusa said, not changing her expression one bit at the label. "Now do you want a piece of me or what?"

"Calm down, boys," Hiroto said, staring down Zusa from the few inches he had on her. "Even if she had the willpower to cut off one of our intel guy's digits like that, we outnumber her greatly, and have weapons, too. Yes, Kanajo-san, we would all very much like a piece of you…"

"Well too bad, garbage," Zusa sprouted her red flames from her palms, holding them out in plain sight, and instantly, all of the boys stepped back in awe, even Hiroto. "I'll be your judge. That pretty boy put on a pretty impressive performance yet again, so I won't kill you in his honor. I could've reported you to the police and just shown straight evidence, but that's so inconvenient. This now… This is the real punishment."

"You're misunderstanding here," Hiroto said, trying to act calm again in spite of being in the presence of magic weaponry. The heat from the fires could be felt by all of them. "Didn't you hear what that guy said? Most men would act upon the chance given they could without punishment…"

"Don't hurt me, Kanajo-san!" one of the boys begged, dropping on his knees. "This is my first time doing such a thing, and I didn't even carry it out! Please…"

"It's a social contract," Zusa said coldly. "No one rapes because no one wants to be raped. Pathetic males like you think you can get away with it… Well, you violated one of the basic building blocks of society – you should be denied private property, decent food and a family. But I'm going to be nice and just leave you off with a few painful scars. And begging only makes you look more pathetic. No resolve at all."

"You only have two hands to throw fire with," Hiroto readjusted himself. "Boys, attack her all at once!"

The first flame Zusa threw immediately knocked Hiroto back, sending him toppling into two of the other boys. The remainder of the group charged at her nervously, but Zusa dispatched them with powerful kicks and punches, and pinned down the ones that were rising with more balls of flame. The boy that had begged was quite some distance away now, but Zusa took up her motorcycle and ran him down, grinding the wheel into his side violently. The twintailed girl looked back at the rest of them, and made a sharp 180 to run down any more that had chances of escaping.

By the end of the incident, many of the boys had "I will not rape" painfully burnt into their chests, the red scar showing prominently on their moderately tanned chests. The boys that were going to do it for the first time received "I will not try to rape", and the boy that begged her for mercy was left with the most scars, reading out "I will not try to rape and then beg for mercy when I face punishment".

Zusa took a sip of a soda she got from a vending machine somewhere, and looked at her watch. She thought of calling Kyoko over to do something, casually, as if the mess she had just been involved with was just another homework assignment to turn in. And then she wondered how Homura and Andy were doing.

The couple stayed mostly silent as Homura landed somewhere near the apartment, and walked home together silently as well. It was only until the door was closed that Andy spoke up, exhausted by the whole mess. "Mind explaining what that was all about?"

"Andy…" Homura started, but realized that he wasn't angry at all. "I'm sorry. Zusa wanted to test your loyalty or sincerity or whatever, and after last night…"

"So you weren't fine after that," Andy said with nothing but genuine concern.

"Come on," Homura said as she took Andy's hand, leading him up to the bedroom. "It's just…" Homura opened the bedroom door and sat on the mattress. "It was immature of me, I know. You said the right things and didn't do anything stupid, but I wasn't willing to let you go through all that just to prove something. Why did you drag yourself into this mess anyways, if you knew it would happen to me as well? You even left work… Did you want to be able to experience the same thing as I would, or what?"

Andy chuckled. "I guess. Thanks for bailing me out. I'm going to have to get new jeans, and will have even more bruises for a while… But about last night. How much should I have to do for you for you to forgive what I said last night?"

Homura shook her head. "You're always helping around the house, and keeping me company, and…" Homura sighed. "I was in over my head, I guess. I wanted to show that I was capable of more than just kissing and hugging and lying there as you do most of the actual moving… And being on top doesn't seem that way, either."

"I said multiple times, even during the act, that you could stop if you disliked it," Andy said, remembering Homura's expression as she moved her lips down his crotch. "But yeah. Sorry about what I said after. I managed not to climax in your mouth or on your face, but…"

"It went all over my chest," Homura said with an embarrassed smile. "And then you said, 'you look kind of sexier like that'… And I just felt really weird all of a sudden. Afterwards you tried to suck the taste out of my mouth with a long kiss, and I appreciate that, but…"

"Well, I'm glad you're all right," Andy said as he embraced Homura in a sudden hug. "Zusa should deal with those rapists, right?"

"I talked her out of killing them," Homura said as she pulled away, feeling all refreshed. "She doesn't seem to be a feminist, but she really hates people that do those things for some reason. It kind of feels that's the only strong idea that's within her. But yes, Zusa's punishing them in a way that she sees fit."

Andy sighed. "I'm not sure how generic I sounded back there, but even if it would be all the more cliché… I wanted to beat those guys up, as your lover, you know? Or at least actually be in the position where I'd take the rape and you wouldn't."

"Boys will be boys," Homura said with an odd smile. "You said there's a craving for rape in men even in a private moment with me…"

"At least for me, the craving of attaching and connecting with you and only you is far more powerful," Andy said solemnly. "I don't know, that might be another bad thing about me, besides my bluntness and such. Maybe I only have a hidden craving for weird things because I was so curious as to why people craved them. In the end, I probably can't even muster to have sex with a girl I don't know, because the thought of doing it to a stranger is just odd… And there's no way I'd rape someone I actually knew because I actually have a sense of their ego. Of course, this is how I am right now, sometimes the urge for the former is surprisingly large, but I'd always live under the advice of the latter."

"Andy…" Homura said, still feeling a bit concerned. He wasn't actually raped, but it certainly seemed that he wouldn't mind it back then, even if he hadn't prepared himself. He trusted her not to let it actually happen to him, and if she broke that trust he would probably forgive her, as well. "…I'm sorry. I really am. I mean, wasn't that just terrible of me?"

"Well it doesn't matter, because I love you, Homuchan," Andy drew Homura into a slight hug, and the feelings of guilt subsided. "Don't dirty your mouth again just because you feel you're obligated to."

"Right," Homura smiled, closing her eyes contently. "I would really prefer it that way." Deep down in her heart, Homura wondered. Even if people did have souls, it was influenced so heavily by biological processes and wisps of nerves. And through this understanding of the body came a happy understanding of the mind.

That night, Homura decided to make a move on Madoka in her dreams. "Let's just stay in the meadows today," Homura said to her best friend with a smile as she brought out a cup of the sweet, universal tea. She took a while to cover the would-be rape scenario, and then cut to the chase. "I really love Andy, I really do," Homura said to Madoka with an honest look in her eyes. "But you're my eternity, my life, my happiness… Okay, Madoka?" Homura leaned forwards and closed her eyes. It was about time this happened, after all…

"I'm sorry, Homura-chan," Madoka said, and a jolt of darkness snapped through Homura's heart. Homura opened her eyes, confused. "I'm still responsible for saving all the Puella Magi in each and every existence from becoming Puella Magi, and you're special to me, you really are, if I could I would definitely do all of those ecchi things with you… I love you, Homura-chan, as a friend and classmate and a fellow Puella Magi and everything, but if I started doing those things, I would become too centered on you and not be able to do my job properly. I just…"

"I understand, Madoka," Homura said, almost crying for some reason. Andy… Andy was fine, but to know that she would never have this dream carried out was just devastating. "I'll try… I'll try not to let this get to me." Madoka had an extremely worried yet somewhat responsible look, like that of a parent balancing her work and her children.

She didn't tell Andy immediately, but requested him to go gentler the next few times they would be having sex. The following night, the dream world began to decay, and the night after that, it was just a meadow, and the night after that, it was almost back to nothingness again, with nothing but a chair and table, and a few scraps of grass. Andy, Madoka, me, Homura thought sullenly. It was impossible to balance the three, but she didn't want to kick any of them out of this complex emotional circle of hers.

Andy picked up Homura's depression after a while, and compelled her to cough up the truth. "I'm sorry, Homuchan," Andy said, genuinely sharing her sorrow. "I…" Andy, for all of his random musings, was at a lost for words, too. "I could never replace Madoka for you, and I know that. If I only could, I would make the world for just you two and only you two, and…"

Homura shook her head. "Andy, it's not your fault. You just had the misfortune of being an failed test by Kyubey, or something like that. If only you hadn't gotten involved with me…" Homura felt despicable for phrasing it in such a manner. "I mean…" Andy didn't even know if he could hug her in such a situation, so Homura hugged him on her own. "I'll be fine. I can still see Madoka, which is much better than it was without you, and we'll smooth over this eventually. I'm just imagining what you're feeling… There were times in the endless cycles where I had thought Madoka would never love me, even if I did save her. I just want to let you know that I care, and we'll have time in the future to go back to all of those bodily pleasures…"

"I know," Andy said, feeling rather pathetic in his choice of wording. He didn't want to give Homura false hope or complicate the situation, so it was really all he could say. "It's fine. I love you, Homuchan."

Homura thought of approaching Kyoko to feel the softness of a young girl, but started to feel terrible for trying to use her friend like that. One night, as she slept pressed up against Andy in a sullen but unloving heart, a newcomer came into the dream world with Madoka. It was a girl with grayish-green eyes and a greenish-white outfit. Her smooth black hair was tied up in a ponytail, and she was sitting across from her and next to Madoka. Part of the meadow had returned due to the emotional reconnection with Andy, but the rest was a blank white.

"I'm just warning you," the stranger said sternly. "I tried to fight for someone else in my life. The boy you're sleeping with, or say his alternate version, wrecked everything… He wrecked the person I wanted to protect. You really should just fight for yourself. Even if all I am is a ghost that can haunt people's dreams now, I feel like I have much more freedom. You see Madoka Kaname's state as well, right? She isn't even cutting me off. Believe me, girl. Forget everything else and just start reconstructing yourself."

"Homura-chan," Madoka said concernedly. "If something will really make you happy, do it. Please, just don't suffer any more."

It felt ludicrous to believe the girl's words. She didn't appear the next night, or the night after, but in the synapses of natural dreams that were sandwiched between the real world and her shared world with Madoka, she saw odd figures, and was awed by the sight. One was a dark-haired boy with familiar red wings and an axe… The other was an armored figure sitting on a throne, with two different-colored gargantuan objects sprouting from his back, a contorted arm and a row of blades. Homura could feel the power, the individuality, the pure expression of vengeance that these dreams contained, and started to feel that sense of self and selfishness rise within her heart.

"Homura told me about what you did to those rapists," Kyoko said to Zusa as she stood over a railing on the apartment roof, overlooking the city. "I don't suppose you do this on a weekly basis?"

"This city doesn't have many rapists, at the very least," Zusa said. "That's one of the few crimes that police can't usually detect. But no, I'm not going to do something like this just for the sake of doing it. If I did, I feel I might become even more twisted than I currently am. Whenever I do something like this… Even when it's just fighting demons, you know? It feels like I don't enjoy beating the crap out of any particular person or anything, I just enjoy beating the crap out of people…. I don't know, everyone annoys me to some extent."

"Even you?" Kyoko asked as she blew a bubble with the gum she was chewing. "But Zusa, you're not twisted. You're just…."

"You and I are kind of similar, but a lot different overall," Zusa said coldly. "Why do you even bother hanging around me? Even with my fountain of sarcasm and cynicism and bitterness…"

"Well, you're my friend," Kyoko admitted, a lump forming within her throat. "I don't manage to make a lot of those."

"That doesn't make me feel very good, either," Zusa said. "It's nice to have a select few best friends, but sometimes it feels people just have friends to survive. Idealistically, wouldn't you say that people should have friends because they enjoy sharing their emotions? It's different when people grab friends because they can't contain their emotions… You know, rape is like ignorance, even if it's a lot less common. It's something embedded in the brains of all of us. Sometimes it makes so much sense to be cruel. The narcissistic, manipulative, or common people survive and pass on their thoughts and genes, while sweeties like you, Homura and Andy probably won't even reproduce. Humans are just built to survive, in an evolutionary sense. There's no right to justice or happiness."

"Well, I…" Kyoko took a deep breath, thinking of what had recently happened between Homura and Andy. "I agree with you, actually. But this is just how I am, you know? It's so obvious that people's lives would be better if they thought of righteousness first, instead of what they had to do to survive." Zusa shook her head solemnly. "I guess I'm one to talk in my situation, mooching off friends, but…"

"Kyoko, you're fine. I'm fine. The world is fine even if it's burning, as long as it exists." Kyoko was lost in her thoughts and toying around with her gum when ominous clouds rolled in from up ahead. "Demons…" Zusa said. "Looks like we're facing an unusually strong one, as well. Much, much stronger than anything we've faced before…"

"Geez, you really don't know where to stop!" Homura said worriedly as Andy followed her up to the roof. "I told you this demon's ridiculously powerful! I'm not actually just going to forget about you and leave you to die, okay?" Homura was thinking of just being selfish for once, but struggled to do it with Andy's love radiating from behind her.

The clouds blurred the entire apartment roof, and a new world instantly began to form. The four teenagers were now standing on a bridge overlooking a railway, and a massive train could be seen and heard in the distance. The road divided into two ends, and a switch was on the bridge near Kyoko. The train was currently heading towards the rail with a slight, female figure strapped amongst the rails. Upon recognizing Sayaka, Kyoko's hands leapt to the switch, but realized two things. It could be an apparition, and there were five men working on the other rail.

Zusa sniffed the air oddly. "Those aren't apparitions, all right. Those men are real, and that's Sayaka's real soul." The blue-haired girl was unconscious, and the railway workers seemed to be too far away to hear the voice of the teenagers. Kyoko tried to jump over the bridge, but was met with an invisible force field. "Hot damn," Zusa swore. "This demon's really creating a moral dilemma. Oh well, this one's a no-brainer. Anyone in your position would save Sayaka and have the men die." Homura and Andy stayed silent, wondering what was going to happen to them.

"Don't do it," Andy said boldly. "It might be a trap, and if everyone's real here, those men have families and lovers too. Even if Sayaka could defeat demons and whatnot if she was back and fully restored, who are we to judge the worth of human beings? In addition, we don't even know those five men. I mean…"

"Stop it…" Kyoko muttered, gritting her teeth in worry and frustration. She remembered her recent conversation with Zusa, and felt kind of hypocritical when she looked at the switch. But she then remembered her conversation with Zusa on the night she and her friends faced the puppeteer demon, and Andy's notions of love. I love Sayaka very much… she suddenly realized, and all of the short but sweet moments they spent together were recalled. I don't know what she would say, but I want her alive. I'm sure the rest of my friends would understand. The train was coming closer, and Kyoko pushed the switch with all of her might.

"Kyoko-chan…" Andy muttered solemnly. The train swerved to the left, and the five men working on it met with grotesque deaths.

"I'm quite excited," a deep, disembodied voice called out. A silver, glowing orb fell down a few hundreds of stories from the sky, and suspended itself midair in front of the teenagers. "It's time for another judgment, and I'll have the pleasure of debating with somewhat intellectual people."

"Judgment…?" Kyoko muttered, feeling guilty but glad that Sayaka was safe.

"It's not a trap, it's a test," the glowing orb announced. "Don't worry, Sayaka Miki's soul will be in safe hands. We'll have the trial tomorrow. Sorry I'm keeping you in this demon's world overnight, but those are just the circumstances. Kyoko Sakura is the accused. You three will be the witnesses, unless someone wants to be her lawyer, or if you three want to leave her in my hands entirely. I'm the judge and jury."

"Doesn't seem quite fair," Andy said.

"I look forward to debating with you, Mr. Shade," Somehow, Andy could feel the orb turning in his direction. "With you and me in the same room, we can carry out quite the objective verdict."

"What do you mean by leaving her in your hands?" Zusa asked. "Do you mean that we can leave if we want?"

"Oh yes," the orb said. "Of course, you'll be free after you perform your roles as witnesses, unless crimes of yours pop up." Zusa's eyes brimmed with an odd eagerness.

Kyoko was too ashamed to speak up, so Andy spoke in her favor. "Zusa, you're not thinking of abandoning Kyoko-chan, are you?" Andy was deep in thought, but simply annoyed at the same time. He shot an assuring glance at Kyoko. "We're all going to help you get out safely, Kyoko-chan."

"Wait a minute, pretty boy," Zusa said, equally frustrated by Andy's response. "This demon… It's one of the few I've encountered that can _talk_. It has a sentient mind, can build force fields, and can even summon actual souls into its dimension! If we're planned for testing as well, it's our best bet to just leave Kyoko here."

"Right…" Kyoko herself muttered dejectedly. A cold breeze blew through her unguarded body. "Sayaka didn't have feelings for me, even less than Madoka did for Homura. It's best if you three…"

"I'll be her lawyer," Andy said boldly, to Kyoko's surprise. "And Zusa and Homura will be witnesses."

"Andy, you don't know what you're getting into," Homura said. "Just because this situation seems purely intellectual doesn't guarantee your win. Besides, I don't want anything happening to you…"

"Where will we be staying?" Andy asked the orb. "I assume the night's needed for all of us to review the evidence and prepare for questions." Kyoko was flattered, Homura felt a bit ignored, and Zusa took the whole trial as another form of amusement.

"You three can stay in a hotel," the orb said. "As with tradition, Kyoko Sakura will stay in a prison cell for the night. It'll help the defense greatly if the lawyer reviews the evidence with the defendant, and increase morale by staying with her. Will you choose to do such a thing?"

"I will," Andy said, still brimming with confidence, yet serious to the core as if performing his honest duty. Homura didn't know what she was feeling in her heart, but it sure wasn't pleasant. She wondered about the stranger in the dream again, and all those different images of individuality… Homura could almost swear Andy was betraying her.

"The hotel will be right next to the prison cell," the orb said. "And here's a warning, lawyer boy. If it's revealed that you were protecting the defendant in spite of knowing the injustice done, you will be taken away and punished as well."

"May I ask what is the punishment, exactly?" Andy asked.

"You will be put on one of those rails as you've seen today," the orb said. "There are other moral dilemmas though, all which feature real people I haunted, harvested and accused. Crying baby in war time, sick man on a life boat… The criminal's punishment is to feel the pain of the crime he or she has committed. Much more efficient than your current society, right?"

"I couldn't agree more," Andy said earnestly, and with that the moving mist cleared to form a small hotel and a prison cell attached to the side of it across the bridge.

"What the hell are you thinking?" Homura asked coldly, Zusa at her side as the four teenagers walked to their designated areas. "You're way in over your head. Don't you worry about what'll happen if I lose you? Didn't you say you'd sacrifice anything for me, and agree to do acts of great evil, as well?"

"Friendship can only go so far," Zusa said dryly.

"I can get the four of us out alive," Andy said. "Surely, that would give you the most happiness. If it turned out none of us volunteered to defend Kyoko-chan, the guilt after the incident wouldn't be a pleasant thing, right? Trust me, all of you. It's better to have Kyoko-chan than not have Kyoko-chan. Besides, Homura, this is what Madoka would do, right?" Homura seemed gravely offended during this situation, and suddenly detached her emotions from Andy. "I'm not Madoka, I know, but she's a large part of your conscience as well. The only way to get you through this mess is with everyone alive."

Kyoko was faltering in her guilt. "Andy, I'm really not…"

"I remember the promise I had made after sex several weeks back," Andy recalled. "And the promise Homura and I made the day you came to us about our sex life. I don't intend to break those. Maybe I'm spouting some generic crap and people would respect me more for just letting you go, Kyoko-chan, but that's not how I feel."

"Witnesses, defendant, and lawyer," the silver orb boomed. "Get to your respective places immediately." With that, Andy and Kyoko were locked in the cell, and Homura and Zusa were left in a much more comfortable hotel room.

"…Why," Kyoko muttered after a long period of silence. Andy and Kyoko were sitting in the bench of the jail cell. Kyoko didn't exactly want to do so, but she seemed to have nothing better to do than fall into Andy's chest again and let him stroke her hair; however, her beliefs that she didn't do such prevented her from doing so. Andy was stroking his chin, deep in thought and determined to prove Kyoko innocent.

"You did nothing wrong," Andy said. "No, sorry. It should be said that even if you did something wrong, something like this is totally forgivable."

Kyoko shook her head. "There was a period of time where I would only hunt Witches when I needed to, and let the weaker humans to die, but…. This is different. Pulling the switch and seeing the train move over and crush those five men… It seems almost as painful as if I had just stood there and did nothing." Oddly, Kyoko didn't feel like crying as the words came out of her mouth. "I don't deserve you, Andy. Or at least, I don't deserve to be saved by you."

"You have too high an opinion of me," Andy said. "You should excuse yourself more. You did come from a poor and probably poorly-educated family, and had to live on your own for a while. I came from rich suburbs with plenty of opportunities, and squandered it all lying about in my supposedly intellectual narcissism before I met Homura."

"What's going to be your main argument?" Kyoko wondered at how this would all be settled out as she moved over to the bed.

"Everyone would've done so in your scenario," Andy said. Kyoko scoffed, feeling bitter about Andy's lack of abilities. "Kyoko-chan… I think there's a little girl in all of us. Or at least, most people. I know I can't make the world bright and sunny and free of crime, but I want to give chances to everyone that's can grasp them, whether or not they deserve it. I know, sometimes I feel like worldly trash when I look at them, those young children enjoying life without fear of death or obsessive aggressive natures, especially when lust comes into the balance. Humans are humans," Andy said softly. "We sin, we do good deeds, but most of the time we just do what we want. We all aren't perfect, I mean. People like to attribute evil to temptations of the devil or poor upbringing, but sometimes it just feels nice to replicate the injustice seen on a daily basis. Even I do stuff like that sometimes… Like before I met Homura, I would have porn, too, even if it ultimately didn't satisfy me as much and damaged my moral ego. Sometimes it just has to be done, out of the sake of pure empathy rather than trying to cleanse the world. You and me, we have to get our hands a little dirty to understand the criminal, to love someone in spite of their mistakes."

Kyoko frowned, and put her hands on her cheeks. "I just pulled the switch to save Sayaka. I didn't do bad things to understand the person doing them, or for the sake of knowledge in general. It just felt good for me. To insult and frown and be sarcastic, sometimes. To pretend that my friends were more important than those of others. How am I supposed to redeem myself for my sins?"

Andy sighed. "I'll hope to come to a thorough understanding of that by tomorrow morning, and argue as best as I can for you in the trial."

Meanwhile, Homura and Zusa were sitting in the hotel bedroom, Homura deep in thought and Zusa just relaxing. "I wonder if I should just forget about everyone else after all," Homura said. She thought of the way Madoka sympathized with everyone, and the way Andy tried to understand everything, and how it had led to such a mess. It would be hard to detach from people, and hard to keep from attaching to people, but once she was in that state she would be utterly free. "How did you do it?"

"Huh," Zusa let out a single chuckle. "I had friends too, you know. Sooner or later, I had to accept the fact that I was the only thing I was certain of. I do hate myself from time to time, but overall you sort of have to be proud to get through life without trusting anyone."

"…I'm going to the prison cell," Homura said, thinking and thinking. What had made her likable or pitiable was what she had gone through for Madoka. But if all she cared about was herself, did she even need to be likable or pitiable? Did she need a moral ego like Sayaka Miki's, or a system of reasoning like Andy? She remembered some of Andy's novels, and thought how much he had changed. Before he met her, he didn't even need to cry or cuddle much, and just raged through everything bitterly by himself. Sure, there were times when he was attached to things and it made him happy, but he never had to deal with other people. Isn't that right? There were people like that in the world, capable of doing great deeds or making great romances but not doing such because it would be troublesome, inconvenient. She wasn't suspicious of Andy's friendship with Kyoko, but just wanted them to figure the whole mess out by themselves. As Homura neared the cell, the metal orb popped out. "Only once this night," she claimed, and with the orb seemingly agreeing, she walked towards the cell.

"Oh hey. Homuchan," Andy called awkwardly. He was on the bench sitting and thinking and Kyoko was lying on the bed, but it was still a very uncomfortable situation indeed.

"You're still way too sure of yourself," Homura said.

"Homura, you looped back time over and over, when you were never certain of accomplishing your goal," Andy said.

"But as you pointed out long ago, there's no way of looping time in this one. You can't say that you'll just get it right the first time. This is nothing like your school debates."

"They were all just people trying to prove that they had bigger egos than the other," Andy said. "Listen, Homuchan, you're attached to Madoka, and this includes her ideals and desires. We'll have to keep Kyoko alive for that, and not argue between friends."

"Andy, this is a similar situation to the one Kyoko was in," Homura said sternly. "If you or Madoka was on the set rails and Kyoko and Zusa on the other rails, I'd pull the switch, too. What about you? What are your priorities? I've already admitted that my moral ego isn't that big, so I won't be affected that much if you don't defend her to the death." Homura thought of what would happen if Andy let up Kyoko's case after a few arguments. She would feel guilty for a while, but Andy and Madoka would always be there to accept and cuddle with her.

Andy stood up, still filled with confidence from an unknown source. "Why not just blow up the rails leading to the split in tracks? Or better yet, use super-strength to stop the train?"

"You have to be aware of what you're capable of," Homura was dead serious. "Both the human body and mind have their limits."

"Homuchan," Andy said, sighing. "I just want everyone to get along. Even if Kyoko-chan agrees to it, you're still abandoning her like this. I'll get the four of us out alive, and you can make apologies then, okay?"

"You're pissing me off even more now," Homura's tone had become ice cold. "Like Madoka, you're being stupidly nice, but unlike her, you're letting your ego get in the way of your judgment. You know what? I've been thinking recently, and maybe I shouldn't care about anyone else any more. Who cares if I spent eternities with Madoka if I want to build a new life? Wasn't it better, happier, for you, too? When you never knew me, you were content to do your school work and roll over in bed, and then write purely cerebral stories instead of dreaming of extremely romanticized ones."

"Yes, but Homuchan…" Andy started. "It's not all about the happiness. You know how it feels, right? To finally surrender yourself to someone after being your own island for so long. This feeling of tossing away your arrogance, your frustrations, your ego, I mean… I love you, Homuchan, and it feels like that love reminds me of what it's like to feel emotion, to have spirits coursing through my bloodstream and overcome the fact that I'm just a pile of cells. It feels human, and even if it doesn't always feel nice, it's wonderful."

Homura reminded herself of what she was like before she met Madoka, but shook that thought off. She didn't have her powers back then, and didn't distance herself because she choose to, either. Now, with magic on her side and time for individual thinking, how much potential did she have? How much could she do in the world? Even if she wasn't doing anything more useful, it certainly would be better than being human, because she would be having fun on her own accords.

"Visiting time's over," the orb called as it pushed a cart with wheels with a person on it. Homura gave the girl a glance before moving away, and the orb pushed the cart into the sight of Kyoko and Andy. "She's safe, as you wanted her." Sayaka Miki was sleeping on the cart, and Kyoko's heart and body leapt up at the sight of her. "Lawyer boy, if you make a compelling enough argument, I might even let Kyoko Sakura see her again, when she's actually awake. Now, have the rest of your night to form your defense. I recommend you get a good sleep, though. You'll need it." With that, the orb pushed the cart away, the wheels creaking on the odd ground.

Kyoko tossed back her body onto the bed again, and felt that feeling of frustrated self-hatred rise through her heart. "I don't deserve her," Kyoko said.

"What do you mean?" Andy asked. "I don't hate her, but Sayaka made plenty of mistakes as well."

"Yeah, well I just feel kind of crappy."

"When I feel crappy, it just serves as an additional motivation to try to understand things, to prove that things are right. When I'm at the lowest point of my life, I can think on my own and decide how to change, and no third party or authority will be able to corrupt me."

Kyoko laughed dryly. "See, that's what Sayaka would do too. It's stupid in a way, but it's still a sense of dignity. That's why I don't deserve her. I would never… I don't even know what to say if that orb bombards me with questions. Sorry."

"Give me time to think," Andy said, still interested in a spot on the wall. "You get a good night's rest. Homuchan and I have been doing it less recently, but I'm still in a cramped room with a cute girl, and bad things may occur if I succumb to my urges."

"Sure," Kyoko said as she turned over. She was about to give Andy the blankets for his decision to take the bench, but then she realized there were no blankets. The pillow and mattress was pretty uncomfortable, too. She had gotten a little too used to Andy's cozy bed with his essence and warmth still radiating from it. "By chance, what will you do if Homura carries out her whole individuality thing?"

"Remind her of who she is," Andy said. "She's the most authentic person I know in her love, in her love for Madoka. But even she has her flaws and will stray a bit, and well, it's up to people everywhere, not just me, to help their friends when they're in bad times."

"Tuh," Kyoko muttered. "You really are just so… optimistic. Thanks for everything, crazy."

Andy got a decent amount of sleep after pondering and pondering, and the four teenagers were regrouped outside the hotel and prison cell. The surroundings changed yet again, and the four were in an ordinary courtroom with the orb, wooden chairs and tables and everything. "We will now commence the trial of Kyoko Sakura," the orb said as it floated above a short pillar. "Defendant, did you or did you not sacrifice five good and worthy men to save the soul of your beloved dead friend?"

"Yes," Kyoko said solemnly.

"A confession," the orb stated. "Now we shall judge whether or not she is guilty of any crime. I will be leading the prosecution, but I will try to do so from an objective viewpoint. Kyoko Sakura did not just trade lives with that pull of the lever – she replaced five with one. One that had already been missing for more than a year and assumed dead, one that everyone coped with the disappearance of. Certainly, this is a very grave matter at hand, and she is guilty of something."

"Judge," Andy called out, raising his hand.

"The defense may now speak." Homura felt incredibly annoyed for some reason as this trial started. She realized how little she had to say, how little words she could spin about anything and everything, even about her precious feelings for Madoka. Out of a sudden, she just wanted to fight demons the normal way.

"Every person will do the same in her situation," Andy started. "Even if they denied it, it's just an obvious thing when one observes most people. How confident they are in their first impressions, and yet how forgiving they are around their friends. How people talk about their children and talk at a funeral, as if the person they knew had much more human worth. In addition, Kyoko Sakura came from an unfortunate background… In that sort of situation, everyone has to do what they can to survive and make the closest thing to a friend, from eating out of the garbage to murder and burglary. She just had another additional misfortune of being attacked by this demon. Tell me, judge, the limited amount of people you can judge makes the process unfair in the first place. If you are punishing her, you must punish mankind as well."

"The prosecution shall now speak – It is true that it is slightly unfair that punishment is not evenly distributed among peoples, but take the analogy of trying to improve an old computer's performance. Even if you can only improve some bits of it, that's better than improving nothing, right? Plus, let me ask the witnesses, Kyoko Sakura's best friends. Does she even matter that much to you? Is she worth much outside of just a source of entertainment? Can she better the world?"

"To answer honestly, no," Zusa said. "I guess I could take her to be extra security when I dimension-hop, but that wouldn't be an appropriate punishment, right?"

"No," Homura said bluntly. "Sorry, Kyoko, but that's just how it is."

"Judge, the defense is not done yet," Andy said as he shot up his hand. Homura was becoming more and more irritated with him, and felt a strange itch in her back.

"You may speak."

"Jury, please listen," Andy said. "Is this punishment really going to better anything? People all have sins they cannot get rid of, and it is better to learn to adapt to them than to destroy them entirely. In addition, what are the odds of Kyoko-chan actually being in such a situation again? Practically zero. Punishment should only be done when it can better the person or prevent further crimes, and this punishment of yours does neither. Basically, this is just an excuse. You're a demon, and you have to wreck the lives of someone or somebody. Am I right?"

"The jury will consider," the orb said, and after a short hesitation, agreed to the group's surprise. "I am a sentient demon that proposes situations and riddles, but I still must cause suffering in the world. My punishments are not always just and there are quite a few times where people have argued into this situation, but I must punish anyways. Now that I have you four people in my grasp, I'll have to execute damage upon someone, or I will die as a demon. My conscience won't prevent me from doing so. If there are no volunteers, I will take Kyoko Sakura."

"Take me," Andy said. He had an entire night to prepare for the mental fortitude, and sounded cool and confident. "I have failed in making my beloved happy. I have disappointed and been rude to the people that invested in me on my original world. I have wasted gallons of water and lived extravagantly, without actually helping humanity much." Homura didn't know what to say at this point. Andy was admitting his responsibility and confessing his guilt, and she couldn't stop him.

"I want a test," the orb said. "That shall be your punishment. Any suggestions?"

"Death by stoning," Andy said. "Stone me for every sin that has happened from the four of us. Don't tie me up to a cross or anything like that – I shall not have that luxury, nor should I need it. If I flinch or dodge a stone, you may proceed with your punishment of Kyoko Sakura, and the three of us will be forced to leave in guilt. If I take the stones and die, you must let my other three friends go. I probably can't talk you into killing yourself, but this is the best I can do."

"Very interesting," the orb said. "A man confesses his sins, and yet he still wants to be perfect and pure for his final sacrifice. Why don't we start now?" The back of the courtroom dissipated into a large dirt field, and Andy stepped out to take his position in it.

"Andy," Kyoko said as she put an arm on his shoulder. "You don't have to do this."

"Homura," Andy said, ignoring Kyoko as he turned towards the set of purple eyes. "Even without me, your wish to be with Madoka will be granted. Remember who you are, and stay strong. You belong to a happy fate, even if I don't."

"Andy…" Homura muttered, the confusion growing more and more in her heart. This was all so tiresome. So stupid, stupid, stupid. Why did she have to care about these things? All she had to do was take care of herself and survive, and find some way to entertain herself. Just like Zusa. It felt more and more unreasonable to choose to be human.

Andy stripped off his T-shirt and stood five or six meters away from the orb, which stayed in its place. The cool wind whipped against his chest, and Kyoko suddenly wanted to press against it, to knead those muscles for one last time before it would become bloodied and punctured and dead. A set of rocks formed and circled around the orb, and without much hesitation, a speeding rock was thrown towards Andy's chest. This one wasn't strong enough to pierce past skin, but Andy was fully prepared for taking something along the lines of a bullet.

Homura couldn't bear to watch Andy as he took a second stone, then a third. Part of it was because of her genuine concern of his well-being, but the other just felt that this was stupid, all so stupid. Andy bent down after each stone now, and visible red marks, some slighted with blood, could be seen on his chest. "I can crouch between throws as long as I try not to dodge, right?" Andy asked as he struggled to his feet. The pain was unbearable, but at the same time it was thrilling and satisfying.

"If you take longer than ten seconds to stand up, you have failed," the orb decreed as stone after stone hit Andy. They began hitting at his ribs and abdomen, at his shoulders and neck. They were fast, but not fast enough to knock out or kill… Andy was stumbling back and forth between rocks now, disoriented but filled with determination.

When a stone smashed into Andy's groin, that was when Homura really began to feel it. While Andy took five or six seconds to recover and get to his feet, panting madly, Homura felt that odd anger escalate in her heart. She had been stupid, he had been stupid, just like the whole world had been stupid. That piece of him that she had loved so much was nothing more than just that, something that could be injured and broken by stone. Zusa was right. The only thing that was certain was her individuality, which would survive only in the last moments of her waking breaths. The itch in her back became to tingle more and more, and a mad scene played out.

The red dragon wings sprouted from Homura's back, and a dark, massive poleaxe suddenly formed in her hands. She suddenly felt so much power, just for saying that it was stupid, that it was all stupid, that she was better or different from all of this love and trash and worldly concerns. With a simple swipe of the axe, she brought down the floating orb, cutting it into two smoothly. Homura then turned to face Andy, who was staggering from all the pain.

"What in the world…?" Kyoko muttered, confused and dismayed.

"She shouldn't come after us," Zusa said softly. "There's nothing we can do about this, though. Let the two sort it out."

"You wrecked me," Homura said in that familiar frozen voice as she approached Andy. "You and your love, love, love. I would rather just get over it all, or die." Andy looked at Homura's deep, indigo eyes, and discovered that she wasn't possessed or anything. She was just caught up in the spirit of antipathy and narcissism, and for once she would do the punishing instead of just the loving.

"Whatever makes you happy, Homuchan," Andy said. "I'm really glad you got rid of that demon, though. It was a terrible thing, really."

"You're another terrible thing that's about to go away," Homura said as she brought back the axe. Andy hardly winced. "I trusted you. I trusted and loved you, loved you, I loved you and we shared those feelings. But it just turned out not to be enough. I'm sorry about your precious life and your talents, but this is the best way to sever the bonds."

"This is still about individuality," Andy suddenly realized, and became grave. "You can forget about me, but what about Madoka? She's the meaning of your life, don't deny it. She's your love, your light in the cave, your hope, your guardian when everything goes bad…"

"I see how it is," Homura said. "I'll have to do more than just kill you." Homura swung the axe, and made the blow as painful as possible. Kyoko stepped forwards, but hit a block of space. They were suddenly suspended in a different time, a slow-time that had Andy experiencing the axe sinking into his upper waist slower than physically possible. His mind contorted, still telling himself not to flinch and to accept the pain as the axe continued to split him in two. After what felt like twenty hours or so, Andy was left with even more pain to deal with, snapping back into the current time-frame. His legs weren't attached to him, and he was bleeding out from the waste. "Maddening, maddening, maddening," Homura said. "So that's how it is to be free."

Andy took a sharp breath, and a strange sensation shot through what was left of his body. In an instant, his lower half started regenerating, hips then crotch then thighs then ankles… It was a grotesque and uncomfortable process, but it somehow happened anyways. Blood would shoot out from the severed portions, then bone, then muscle and skin. Andy was taking deep breaths, surprised and confused, surprised and confused. "It finally awakened…" Zusa muttered as she observed the scene. "I better prepare for another rewrite."

"Zusa…" Kyoko muttered, just as confused.

"Do you really want Homura and Andy like this?" Kyoko was speechless from then on.

"You grew it back just so I could cut you again?" Homura asked, staring at Andy's lower half. It was completely unclothed and fresh, and Andy tried to pull what left of his shirt over his crotch. And then, all of a sudden, Homura came to her senses. Her wings snapped back into her body and the poleaxe dissipated. "I don't get it," Homura said, saying what was just on her mind. "You regenerated, even after the slow sacrifice, you didn't fight, it… A deus ex machina…" Andy was magical now. Her full wish might be able to be granted, and even if not, he was even more connected to her than before. It was an odd, disgusting business, but he wasn't just a nice and sensitive guy anymore, he had reminded her of her own humanity, the wonders that occurred when magic flowed through her veins.

"I love you, Homuchan," Andy said as he struggled to crawl up to her. He appeared to be getting woozy from the healing. "You did what you had to do. I'm just glad I can live another day to die for you. Not that I didn't believe in the stoning, but… Ah, Homuchan, Homuchan…" With that, Andy dropped into unconsciousness, and Homura caught him before he hit the ground. The world faded back into the roof of the apartment, and Homura felt Andy's body all over, observed the new growth. It was all fresh and well, even if he had fainted and seemed to have a fever. The lower half she had cut off was dissipated, but the clothes remained, and for an awkward moment Homura pulled the pants up and over gently with Zusa and Kyoko watching.

"He seems to be in a coma," Zusa observed. "His magical potential has awakened, and is started slow now but will skyrocket any time soon. Be sure you're ready for this if we take him to a hospital and assume responsibility."

"Yeah…" Homura muttered. "I will be. Listen, you two, especially you, Kyoko, I'm sorry I was so terrible and… Let's all just be friends again, right?"

"I'd like nothing better," Kyoko admitted, although solemnly.

"Kyoko, do whatever you need or want to do with Andy in the hospital." Homura carried the unconscious body and handed him over to Zusa for protection. "You deserve it. I'm going to have to do a lot of thinking." Homura retreated down the stairs and back to her apartment.

"Kyoko," Zusa said, snapping the redhead out of her thoughts. "Carry the lower half." It felt strange to handle something that had just spontaneously generated a few minutes ago, but Kyoko took the legs anyway and began moving. "Don't worry," Zusa said. "The hospital's not far from here." Kyoko let her mind drift as she descended the stairs with Zusa and then took the elevator, Andy shared between them the whole time. She thought of what Zusa had said the other day about necromancy. If Andy was capable of that, and Sayaka's soul really was safe somewhere… Certainly, he can summon a new body and connect it with the old soul, right?

Andy was checked into the hospital with the explanation of "suddenly collapsing", and was left unconscious for two full days. During his absence, strange, unique feelings caught Zusa, Kyoko, and Homura. They weren't regretful or depressing feelings, but it left the girls pondering madly, not knowing what to make of the situation. It had all gone over so smoothly, so reasonably, and it was all due to Andy. It was impossible to just be grateful and remember the incident as a lucky occurrence, for Andy's magical powers and his attitude… All of the four's attitudes in the situation were just really strange. The sudden regrowth of more than half of a person's body was ridiculous, too. Not even Zusa had heard of a Puella Magi capable of such a feat.

Kyoko and Zusa checked in one day, and the spirit in the room lifted when Andy was seen to be up and awake. He was still lying in his bed, however, and connected to a number of machines. "I can't really move my lower half that well," he explained. "The doctors wanted to draw tissue samples because it seems they can tell it's not just a spasm of the brain or something, but I should be free to go in a couple of days." Andy twitched one of his legs, as to demonstrate his poor mobility.

"I'm glad you're okay…" Kyoko said as she rushed to Andy's side, but then drew herself back. "Homura… We've all been acting strange recently because of what happened, Homura especially. I'm not sure if she feels guilty or anything, but I'll definitely make sure she sees you today. But I mean… I mean, I don't know if you're ever going to evolve to the state where you'll be able to grant wishes, but thanks a lot anyways. I sort of feel it's been a while since I've been honestly forgiven, and made sure that I was feeling secure…" Kyoko embraced Andy, and forced upon him a deep, long kiss on the lips. "Homura said I could do whatever I wanted with you while you were still here, but I think I have to draw the line at that."

"No problem…" Andy almost said it as if he were half-expecting the kiss, and was thinking of another urgent matter at his hands.

"You're thinking about your magical potential, right?" Zusa asked. "In the short times I've visited and from what I've observed… It's only going to get worse from now, do you understand? Once you get to the level where you're able to grant Homura-san's and Kyoko's wishes and make everyone you like happy, even if you maintain your current intelligence and sensitivity, it'll just set you apart from everyone. Not to mention if your destructive capacity is as powerful as your healing ones, or if you seek to get involved in battle, it'll change the relationship you have among us as well."

"I was hoping this would be a one-time thing, kind of," Andy admitted. "How does this lock on my magic get locked and unlocked, anyways?"

"First of all, it depends on your environment," Zusa explained. "On your original world, not even the strongest of sorcerers could do anything there, unless a rift was open and the magical 'air', we should call it, was transferred to your world. The reason why you haven't been fainting and can see the demons is because of your massive ego structure – don't deny it, you are quite narcissistic, and thus you can usually repel substances that work against your 'identity'. Once you reach that state of 'self-actualization', in which you're able to disregard your life for what you want to accomplish, your magical power will reach its limit, and that's how Homura-san almost trapped this world in a neverending time loop. Well, this is a magic-laden world – there have been plenty of other rewrites besides Madoka's and the smaller one I did a while ago – plus, you're a very narcissistic boy. Your future shouldn't be too pleasant, if you get what I'm saying."

"I feel kind of dizzy," Andy joked. "Perhaps I've lost that sense of self-actualization already?" Zusa turned to leave, but Andy reached out to her. "Wait. Since you live only to keep yourself alive now, does that mean that you put a cap on your magical power, as well?"

"It wouldn't have ended well for me," Zusa sighed. "I could've rewritten some of my life, I know. But it would be even worse, since that wouldn't be me in my 'natural' state and then I would just trap myself in my own hallucinations, and impose them on the rest of the world…. Just… Just appreciate what you have, for the moment. Happiness isn't just significantly less intense than pain, it's also rarer to be found. Consider yourself lucky when Homura sees you today."

"Listen, Andy," Kyoko said by his side, pressing onto his hands. "Zusa may have given up hope, but if you go berserk with power and grow a third arm or leg or something, you have Homura and me to support you. Sure, we aren't perfect, but we both have share feelings and have deep connections with you. I'll go fetch Homura, okay?"

"Don't rush her," Andy said as he lifted his body with only his abs. Kyoko left the room at a moderate pace, leaving Andy alone with his thoughts. Zusa's negativity had been well-fought against so far, but for some reason her recent omen felt much more real.

"He's a narcissist," was the first thing Homura said when Kyoko told her the news. "I've known it for a while, and it's not necessarily bad, it's even likable to some extent…"

"Maybe he is," Kyoko shrugged. "Maybe more so than other people, but you still have to admit he projects his ego onto things that matter, like ideas and people."

Homura shook her head. "He did everything in the situation right, and yet I feel like there was something _wrong_ about what he did. It's like he's everywhere at once – that's kind of the thing I felt when the wings sprouted out of me – and even now, I can love him, but I can't grasp him as a person. It's not the 'no one can ever be fully understood' thing, it's that even if I did understand him, I would feel less than twenty percent of him emotionally. I mean, I feel his love, but I don't know how it feels like to be him."

"Well, is that really a problem?" Kyoko asked.

Homura sighed. "I'm being selfish here again, but I'm thinking of him, as well. He thinks it's okay to be so distanced as long as I appreciate what he does. Zusa said that his power would be getting out of control soon… If we want to avoid another rewrite of the universe, we should probably change his mental status or something."

"You are going to visit him, right?" Homura looked like she was in her own world when she stood on the roof of the apartment like this.

"I'll go now," Homura said almost reluctantly, and descended the stairs at an even pace. Andy's face lit up with joy when he saw her.

"For some reason I thought you were still kind of upset," he said.

"Just because I didn't rush out to see you?" Homura asked, showing him a relaxed smile as she sat by his side. "I'm still surprised how calm you are after your loved one cut you in half."

"That ferocity, that rage, that individuality had a charm to it as I sat there being cut," Andy admitted, a bit embarrassed. "For the first time it felt that you were being you, free to do what you want, and I was happy for you. How should I put it… You were the 'Homura that was only Homura' as opposed to having any specific identity or role. But after you reverted back, I realized that I still do love the current you better. The sacrificing Homuchan who looped back time. Showing that new side of you just realized how much I loved you, I guess."

"You can't move your lower half, huh?" Homura observed as she ran her hands into the blankets, and then under the medical gown. "Your ankles are all pale now, huh?" The old ones were all tanned but whitened where socks were put on, and Homura just thought it had looked strange. She moved up to his crotch and felt it was in working condition, and removed the tubes attached to it. "I guess this here is still autonomous, isn't it?"

"Pretty kinky," Andy said with only a slight grin. "I wouldn't have any objections to doing it here."

"Before that…" Homura said. "I want to make it clear. I'll be the sacrificing Homura-chan who looped back time. There were times that I was mean to Madoka… Different versions of Madoka, I mean, and I feel terrible about that. I think you might understand it, when you're deeply in love but you're still so selfish. You said something about there being two types of love, and I want to avoid the selfish part as much as possible."

"Only as much as possible," Andy commented. "If it was all give and no get, people would be left to be specks of dust, and only the decomposers found in physics and nature who be happy to eat our remains. I sort of want to feel proud of what I did back there against the demon, but you are right in it being just selfish love. I don't use morality to try to make myself seem better, but I feel like I'm so attached to myself in my perception and judgment. You can tell just by listening to me, or reading whatever thing I wrote. People just are that way, and I'm just blunter in my narcissism. The only thing people have control over is the ego, the 'me' that can adapt and has free will to at least some extent. Even when people give themselves up and cluster to groups, there's ego, ego, ego. Before science came around, people praised humans for being made in the image of God, in the center of the universe. If we get smaller and smaller, we have great nations, then religions, then families, and even lovers like you and me are projected egos. My judgment to discard myself was hardly objective, and…"

"Shut up and let's do it," Homura suddenly said on a spur of the whim, pressing herself up against him. She felt awkward again, and decided to say some more. "I don't know how to say it. This charm, this movement, this fluidity of yours, it's appealing for some reason and then I just want to ignore it. When I cut you in half and you grew back, I think I figured… I like you. I like the fact that I project my ego onto you, and to that extent it feels more free than just by myself, as if I'm living in a big storage of love inside you. I… I'm not nearly as good at this as you are, sorry."

Andy shook his head. "I'm sorry too. Would you have liked it more… Would it have restored our sex life earlier if I just came up from behind in the kitchen? I can do that if you want."

"Pursue your desires with confidence, I guess. We did do it in the kitchen once, but you just had to ask first. Let's just cut to the chase now, okay?" Homura peeled away the blankets and took off some of her clothes, and let instinct take it from there.

Some time later, the deed was finished, and Andy and Homura lay together in bed, exhausted. "I guess they shouldn't bother us too much, huh?" Andy asked as he stroked Homura's hair again. "It's nice touching you like this again. It's been a while."

"You really had to turn yourself over," Homura said, her heart still beating with adrenaline. "You could hardly move your hips, so I guess those push-ups you did in gym helped you there, huh?"

"I was slouching my back," Andy joked as he pressed up even tighter against Homura. "For some reason, now I think of something totally irrelevant. I remember the scene from All Quiet on the Western Front where a soldier in the military hospital sees his wife for the first time in years, and the other men help cover up for him, distracting the hospital attendants and letting him have sex with his wife."

"Geez," Homura said fondly. "I don't think it's your narcissism, these sorts of divergent thoughts are what's going to make Zusa have to rewrite everything again." Andy didn't know what to say as he continued to enjoy snuggling up against his beloved. "We'll work it out though, I guess."

"They sure are happy," Zusa said to herself as she stood on that familiar rooftop she had stood on around a month ago when she had rewritten everything. "Maybe he'll go away on his own behalf… But that still leaves the question. What to do with me, me, me?"

"Not all the Witches died," something whispered from behind Zusa. When Zusa turned to face the voice, the world immediately changed into a shifting grey, and the figure of a young girl rose from the ground, accented with all colors and shapes. Her voice echoed as if said by multiple people. "We are the essence of their hatred that Madoka Kaname forgot to destroy. You're one of the few people that I can grant a wish to, and one of the few people that can help me reconstruct the universe."

"You are saying a universe where not only Madoka Kaname, but her ascension didn't exist either…" Zusa muttered, highly suspicious of the character.

"You aren't satisfied with your life though, am I wrong?" Zusa bit her lip bitterly, thinking of Andy's sacrifice, Kyoko's kiss, the feelings Homura shared with him.

"That's all something that has passed me," Zusa declared.

"I can make a world where your parents never cheated on each other, and you would never have to become a Puella Magi. Someone else would do the dirty work of fixing Kyubey's gambles. Hell, there would be no dirty work because there wouldn't be as many rewrites given to the world."

Zusa wanted to vehemently deny the offer, but she hesitated, and there she saw a moment that she could possibly share, a normal family or at least a happy one that had genuine interest in each other's problems. She remembered how she was before she became a Puella Magi, and all she had lost from becoming one. "What about Homura?" Zusa asked. "She would just be a fragile transfer student without Madoka, and her memory…"

"She has Andy," the Witches said. "They'll both keep their memories, and he'll be there to protect you. I'll even put you in charge of the actual reconstruction. You'll have the keys and the locks, and I can fix up your life after. We Witches just want to roam free again, instead of being stuck in a single dimension with an impossibly idealistic pink-haired girl."

"Kyoko?" Zusa asked. "The friends I met and lost in other worlds?"

"Kyoko Sakura would have to be sacrificed," the Witches said. "Had she not met Madoka Kaname and her group, she would've transformed into a Witch due to loneliness a few months before today. As for your other friends, it's as you thought. Their lives would be safe and intact, at least for a little longer, if you hadn't met them. Is this a deal?"

Zusa thought for a while, and all of a sudden, tears began to stream down her cheeks. She thought of all the happiness in the world, beautiful, unashamed happiness, and how much she had missed out on. She remembered the moments with Kyoko and Andy and Homura, and how cold and sarcastic she was, and how she was secretly jealous and hated that she was jealous, and just wanted to be, to smile, to love again. She was tired to hiding her inner desires for the washed-over, purified life her intelligence and experience always forced her to criticize. It's time to be me again, Zusa thought. For a while, she had just been another body that was charged with the task of maintaining itself, too scared to have anything but shallow pleasures. From now on, her happiness would be something, and she would be able to invest in worldly things again. Her happiness and ego would be something that mattered.


	5. Redemption

Redemption

Homura woke up and immediately knew that something was amiss. She was no longer in the hospital bed with Andy only half-clothed, but now in a pair of old pajamas in her own bed. When she thrust her body up to look around, she felt as if she had been weakened greatly. Her vision was blurry for some reason, and her entire heartbeat felt different. When she looked to the side, Andy wasn't in her bed, as she had pessimistically expected. Homura noticed the familiar red-rimmed glasses she used to wear by her side, and was forced to put them on. She felt her hair, and noticed that it was in braids again.

Immediately, Homura got up and scoured her apartment, and noticed her irregular breathing. She checked the calendars, and apparently time had leapt back to mid-April, where the new school term would begin. It was still the current year, apparently, but all the modifications she and Andy had left and made on the room were undone. Zusa really did do a rewrite… Homura suspected worriedly, and immediately leapt to the front door. She wondered who existed in this current world, and even under the circumstances, her heart leapt at the thought of seeing Madoka flesh to flesh again.

When she opened the front door, she was met face to face with a fully recovered Andy. Both of them had surprised expressions on their faces. "Nice timing…" Andy started. "Uh…. Do you… Do you know me? Because if you don't…"

"I have my memory," Homura said bluntly. "I remember you, Andy." With that, sighs of relief were exchanged, though Homura's sigh was considerably smaller. Andy walked into the apartment and closed the door, and observed all the changes in Homura.

"We'll have to see what's changed in particular," Andy muttered to himself. "I didn't think Zusa would make a move so soon… But maybe it wasn't her. However, there's another thing." Andy scratched his back, and moved to the center of the living room. "If someone was behind this world change, it appears they didn't quite dull my power." In an instant, those familiar red wings burst out of Andy's back, and pulsed awkwardly as he turned to Homura. "I hope I didn't steal anything from you again," Andy said as he retracted his wings. "How are you feeling? I mean, I can see your physical state isn't quite as well, but can you think straight? Are you paranoid or nervous or anything?"

Homura shook her head. "Ever since I met you…. At least for this 'me', I feel as if my eyes have been opened up a bit more." Homura felt her forehead, as if trying to indicate something. "I'm not a Puella Magi though. Is this supposed to mean anything?"

Andy stroked his chin, deep in thought as Homura observed him. The differences were slight, but he was ultimately changed by this new power already. "The hopeful possibility is that this is a world where you never transferred to Madoka's school. However, if someone is behind this manipulation, I would say this is a world where perhaps Madoka never existed."

"Let's check right now," Homura insisted. She had been suspicious herself, but didn't want to raise the point until Andy said it. As Homura was about to turn the doorknob, Andy reached out to her.

"We should check your clothes drawer first. If you had a uniform, that would mean you transferred."

"Or maybe we just didn't see each other in school," Homura said, but followed Andy to the drawers anyways.

"Like that would happen," Andy said. Once the drawers were opened, multiple school uniforms were found, but the summer uniform was missing. "Huh. If Madoka really doesn't exist here, it's a pretty big issue. Unlike her just being an essence, in this world Witches would still exist."

"Maybe I didn't transfer till this year," Homura said, pointing out the absence of summer uniforms. "Maybe Madoka became less outgoing in her third year."

"We should hope so," Andy said as he followed Homura out the apartment and into the city, tracking where the Kaname household was. "I can't imagine another person taking her role." Upon investigation, Madoka's dad said that they didn't have a daughter. Homura dismissed herself as not feeling quite well in the head from time to time, and Andy's presence helped.

"Maybe she was born to a different family," Homura hoped, but noticed the expression on Andy's face and drew herself back. "Sorry. I don't know if I should be happy for you now, or anything…"

"We're in a bad situation," Andy said. "It's definitely the case that Madoka's entire existence was wiped, even the parts that weren't observable by humans. I could care less about getting powers, although I really want to just jump into the air and fly. My back really itches."

On the way back, Homura noticed her body wearing out. "I can't believe how weak I was before I became a Puella Magi," she said, annoyed by the turn of events. Most of her was just outraged at what had happened, but part of her wondered if this was so bad after all. Andy would still be there for her, and perhaps she could just live as a needy girl who… No, she reminded herself. That's not why he's attracted to me in the first place. Or should I say, he doesn't want to be attracted to me for that reason.

"I really hope my manly magical powers don't backfire," Andy said as he paused in his steps. "I forgot to mention, though. Shouldn't we check Zusa's house first? She might be set on avoiding us completely, and I don't know how good of a fight I can put up with just flying and regeneration on my side, but it's a reasonable step."

Homura nodded. "It's the weekend, right? But there are reasons why I don't think she's entirely responsible for this. She probably wouldn't support the removal of Madoka, and if it wasn't her and it was something else, she would have fixed things up by now."

"I've always thought she had questionable motives," Andy admitted. "If I'm apparently able to grant you your wish, maybe I can resolve this myself as a last resort. At the moment, I only know how to sprout these wings, though. We might be stuck in this world for weeks or even months."

"You still have a stable job, right?" Homura asked, and Andy assented. "I still have school…" Zusa's house was up ahead. Upon asking her seemingly normal dad, Zusa had gone out with some of her friends a few hours ago. Andy took the guise of her high school friend, and sort of had to imply Homura as his girlfriend because of the uniform she was wearing. She didn't have any other clothes in this world, after all.

"Stalk outside her house?" Andy suggested, to which Homura agreed. The couple stood half a block away from the gates and waited. "So we both woke up in mid-afternoon, for some reason… Never mind, that's not important." Andy thought of an idea in his head, and decided to voice it. "Maybe as another last resort, you can get Kyubey to return the world back to normal. You should still have potential as a Puella Magi, right?"

Homura shuddered at the thought. "I don't want to think of all the things that would alter. Kyubey said 'any wish', but he might have slightly different circumstances in mind. After all, he did lie to us about the Witches."

"You're right, sorry." Andy and Homura noticed the sudden lack of things they had to talk about in the situation for one reason or another, and waited silently until Zusa approached her home, happily talking with her friends. Damn, Andy thought to himself. Her smile wasn't the least bit phony. No matter how you looked at her, she was definitely normal, or even more than normal. She was genuinely enjoying life, the conversation, everything around her. "Is that really Zusa…?" Andy whispered to Homura.

"Perhaps there's a rival world-shifter," Homura whispered back. "She seems to have been greatly altered."

"We should approach her anyways, right?" Homura nodded, and with that Andy and Homura walked up to Zusa in the least disturbing manner they could imagine. Zusa was waving bye to her friends when she bumped into the couple. "Listen," Andy said. "This may seem crazy, but we have a lot of things to tell you about. You're really important to how this universe… multiverse or whatever works, so you might be able to help us."

Zusa raised an eyebrow out of sheer curiosity, but not suspicion. "Who are you?"

"My name's Andy, and I know who you are, Zusa Kanajo." Zusa's eyes popped open at the mention of her name. "Let's talk somewhere else, okay? If you want it to be in public, it can be so, but the story I have about you is pretty long."

After the three teenagers sat down in a café, Andy began his long-winded story, but stated everything bluntly. Zusa's eyes popped open with a sincere innocence. "My…" she said. "I can't imagine things being like that. My dad and mom are perfectly normal, and my life… Magic? How could something like magic exist? I mean, I'm an open minded person, but I'm in high school now and…"

"Proof," Andy said, standing up and moving into the aisle. "This'll attract attention, but I don't want you to suspect me for a kidnapper or anything if take you somewhere to show in private." Andy burst out his red wings in a flash, but it took a few seconds or so to withdraw them. People turned to stare, and unnecessary attention had been drawn. Zusa's eyes were just as wide as the rest of the people in the café who had saw it. Andy tried to sit back down, but one random bystander leapt out.

"Wait a minute, don't think you can just get away like that! You had freaking… wings, right? You saw that, people, right? You saw that…"

"Do me a favor and forget my face," Andy said as he took a sip of his tea and put it down. "Girls, meet me at my apartment. Zusa, Homuchan will lead you there." With that, Andy sprouted his wings again, and fell forwards, putting his body parallel to the ground and flying straight towards the entrance. Luckily, the automatic doors opened in time, and with that, Andy sailed towards the sky as quickly as possible, leaving people in and near the café staring at the sudden spectacle.

"We should get going," Homura said, a little embarrassed as Zusa tried to adjust her gaping face. The bystander that had approached Andy was now looking at the girls with a confused yet somehow envious face, as if he totally misinterpreted Andy's directions to have girls come over to his apartment.

A few minutes later, the three were sitting in Homura's apartment, all gathered around the dining table. "That's amazing…" Zusa said. "So if the rest of what you said is true – Witches and whatnot – I really hope that I can somehow help in restoring the world back to normal, even if it's at the cost of my own innocence. This Madoka seems like a really amazing person…. Not saying that you aren't, Homura-san, or you, er, Andy…" Andy laughed a little at the pronunciation. This really was a different Zusa. The other one seemed to be fluent in English for one reason or another.

"Zusa," Andy said, reverting to his solemn mood. "You deserve happiness, though. At least, no less than other people. The you in that world was selfish and cruel, but…"

"Huh?" Zusa wondered.

"He's suggesting that you may have altered the world and rewrote your own memory, I think," Homura said. "Madoka's absence here may be a further guarantee of your safety, as she's the one that made this world line unstable in the first place."

"Well, that me's a really terrible girl, then," Zusa said matter-of-factly. The fact that she didn't swear was further proof of her new identity. "Do you have any other leads to fix this world? If you're going to be staying here a bit, I can offer you guys help. You said that this version of Homura-san was physically weak, and Andy has work, so…"

"Babysitting me, huh?" Homura said, rather annoyed by the prospect. "You have school though. But I guess that's less important… On another matter, should we try to find Mami Tomoe then? I'm not sure if she's in her apartment around this time, and I don't think she'll be able to fix our situation, but we should be able to draw some hints out of her about what's going on here."

"Sure," Andy shrugged. "I wonder if Kyoko-chan's okay, too. We should probably avoid talking about the Witches in case she goes murderously mad like that loop you were in, but… We'll probably have to mention them in the explanation for all that's happened."

"It's fine," Homura said. "You should be able to handle everything. I still do hold a small grudge since I still have memories of her tying me up and such, but it's nothing serious." Andy nodded, and with that, the three were off to Mami's apartment.

There was a five second or so delay between the doorbell ringing and the door opening. With a glance at her face, even Zusa could tell that Mami had been crying recently. "Um…" Zusa started, not sure how to start things.

"We have some serious business to handle here," Andy said with confidence, pushing open the door and stepping into the apartment. "Pardon the intrusion, Mami-san." Before Mami could shoot daggers through her gazes at anyone, Andy sprouted his red wings as proof of his importance. It kind of pissed Homura off a little.

"You're… a Witch?" Mami asked with a suspicious glare. "No… You don't have the pattern. So boys can wield magic too, or…"

"I'm not a girl that looks like a boy, and I'm not a girl who got a physical sex change," Andy said as he withdrew his wings. "Now, onto the matter at hand." He paused for a bit, unsure of what to say, but Zusa and Homura didn't speak up. "Mami Tomoe, do you know how Kyoko Sakura is doing?" Andy didn't want to appear suspicious to Homura, but he just felt it was natural to ask that after the incident with the judgment demon they had recently been in.

"You know the Puella Magi, do you?" Mami asked, and Andy nodded. Mami closed her eyes and sighed. "She passed away a few months ago, I hear. She probably got too arrogant trying to fight a Witch by herself, or something like that. It's so sad, we used to be friends before her dad went mad and did that stuff… After that she just became an unpleasant person."

"And you'd support her if she could be a pleasant person again, right?" Andy started. He then began to explain everything, from Madoka to the Witches to Homura's dreams and Zusa's manipulations.

"That's all a bunch of jumbled nonsense," Mami said, a little frustrated. "There are so many possible culprits behind this world change, and you aren't excluded from the list if you include the possibility of wiping one's own memory. I can't believe the Witch thing, but seeing a boy sprout red wings might change my convictions a little. You're thinking of approaching Kyubey, right? I know where he usually hangs out."

There really wasn't much to talk to as the four teenagers made their way to a nearby park. Zusa found that she could strike a friendly conversation with Mami much more easily than it had been with Homura, and the two girls talked for some time. Andy just said a few lines along the way, one of them being "in all honesty, I thought the Witch thing was pretty intuitive when it came to Soul Gems."

Kyubey was found splashing around in a well-created fountain, and moved over to the teenagers' sides as soon as Mami called it out. The catlike creature sat alongside the group of four on a partially cramped bench. "So, Kyubey, out with the truth," Andy said, and then realized he would have to explain everything this world had gone through for a third time.

"What truth?" Kyubey said in a friendly tone. "But my, a boy wielding magic, that's really something." Andy sighed as he began to explain the events that had happened, and Kyubey nodded, seemingly understanding. "I don't recall any of the changes in world histories," Kyubey admitted. "But about the Witches. Sorry I didn't say so Mami, but Andy is speaking the truth here. Puella Magi are eventually killed or turn into Witches." Mami suddenly fell into a state of shock for a moment.

"I'll kill you before you become a Witch, or before your Witch can harm anyone," Andy raised his hand, as if volunteering to answer a question. Homura shook her head as she looked in the other direction, and began feeling yet more stress on her relationship with Andy. He could be so sensitive sometimes, but there were moments like these where he just chose for one reason or another to be intellectually cold.

"Ah…" Mami said, recovering gradually. "Thanks. Promise me, will you?"

"Promise," Andy said. "So, Kyubey, can you help us with fixing everything?"

"Sorry," the white-tailed creature said. "Even if they were Puella Magi in other worlds, neither the Zusa Kanajo here or the Homura Akemi here can become Puella Magi. Which is another reason why I doubt your story, since the potential for a Puella Magi usually counts their potential despair through time loops, as well. If this world was really changed, the lock placed on it was pretty tight."

"What about me?" Andy asked. "I heard from Homura's dreams that I can grant wishes."

Kyubey scratched one of its ears. "You certainly are a unique young man, be it by fate or by luck. I have no clue on how to help you with your situation, though. I'm not the source of your magic, after all."

Zusa and Mami returned to their respective homes, and Homura and Andy decided to live together as in the previous world. "I was really clumsy and just ate pre-prepared meals before I became a Puella Magi," Homura admitted. "Your help is definitely practical, too."

"Thanks, Homuchan," Andy said with a smile, but immediately decided to bring up another subject. "You seem to be detached a little every since this morning. I actually prefer the old way where you were the one with magic, so I guess I know what you're feeling. It's better to be the one protecting me, right? I certainly don't want you to accept my help just because you're in need of it."

Homura shook her head. "It's nothing, really. It's just that your attitude changed a bit, even if they were just wings. How was flying?" Homura remembered a few times where she had flown Andy across the city with her darkened, distorted wings, but this was probably a different thing for him.

"My wings are pretty bright and big, and it was in broad daylight," Andy lamented. "Luckily no one took pictures of my face. I won't be surprised if I end up being featured in the news."

With that, the subject was quickly dropped, and the couple made and had dinner as casually as possible. However, both Andy and Homura knew that something had definitely changed between them not just from the incident with the demon, but with the world change as well. Andy seemed to be unusually nervous as he lay down in bed with Homura that night.

"Yeah…" Homura said, noticing the tension. "This body of mine… Probably won't be able to handle it. Sex, I mean. And it's not because you're a guy…"

"I understand," Andy said with a sigh. "I can hold it for a while, and if I really need to, my hands are up for the job. But the other thing I was thinking about was how everything got resolved after the stoning thing last night in the hospital. I had thought you would have a lot more to say, or…" Andy turned to look Homura directly in the eyes. "I mean, that's another thing I've noticed, you know? In terms of our relationship, we're very… sensual. It kind of seems we depend on sex to even things out or whatnot. I'm not the sort of guy that can just separate love and sex, and I still have my urges."

"But you're really good while doing it," Homura stroked Andy's chest. "And even if that's so, you've done a pretty good job of not screwing every girl you can get, right?"

"I don't know," Andy said, turning to look up at the ceiling again. "I want you to share things with me, things you'd never tell anyone else. It's selfish, but I want to know your secrets and your secret opinions and everything private about you."

Homura gave Andy a relaxed smile as she readjusted herself, lying on top of him and looking into his eyes. "My head just isn't bursting with as many ideas as yours." With that statement, however, Andy only seemed to feel a little more distanced. "It's nothing you should be ashamed of, really."

"Sometimes, I feel that everything I do that isn't in your sake is something to be ashamed of." Andy said that phrase almost without thinking.

"Well, I feel a lot better after what happened in that trial thing, and how willing you were to accept me. We'll get over this, right?"

"I keep thinking about the perpetrator of the change in the world," Andy said, still worried. "And sometimes I feel that it might've been a twisted part of me, in a sense." Homura tried to not let her flash of anger show, and thought she hid it well. "Even when I love you so, so much, I still have such a strong sense of self, and don't think I don't see you noticing it. If it turns out it really is me… Well, I don't want to think about that. If I was really to commit that action and force you to be reliant on me…"

Homura gripped Andy's wrists and pressed down into his face for a deep kiss. "I'm sure it isn't you," she said as she pulled back, not sure if she was sure. She felt as if she was suddenly torn apart again, loving Andy and saying it would be fine with him, but also hating him for stirring a mix of emotions towards Madoka.

"The braids and the glasses," Andy said, a little more at ease with himself. "They're really something though. You'd be attractive no matter what, but I think you look really nice right now." Homura flushed for a bit, and a surge of memories came rushing back into her. "I can help you braid your hair if you want."

"If you really want to…" Homura said. No one had really commented about her appearance, as in deeply caring beyond making shallow remarks as she passed by. "It was getting kind of stuffy in the summer. I sort of feel like I've put on a different identity without the braids, though."

"Well, you still need those glasses," Andy said as he turned Homura over so they were side by side again. Andy pressed up against Homura and felt the texture of her braids, smelled her fragrance, relished in her presence. "Was that uncalled for?" he said as he pulled away, still embracing Homura in a hug. "It's just that sometimes I feel I take you for granted, but I'm just glad… I mean, this situation is bad, but well…"

"I get it," Homura said with a smile. She liked being by Andy's side, being able to cause and observe all of his subtle movements. It was fascinating and compelling, and filled her with a sense of warmth. "So tomorrow's a new week, huh? I checked the calendar."

"This is going to take time to get used to," Andy said with a yawn, and continued to brush against Homura in his embrace. "I have no idea where I'm supposed to look next, but I'll find a way to restore this world to normal… I'll even make your wish come true. I think I should be able to get pretty far with these wings."

"Yes…" Homura muttered, recalling the texture of those powerful red wings. At the mention of them, she suddenly felt estranged again. Andy was now stable and safe, or at least wouldn't die in the blink of an eye. But Homura felt that in her current position, her sense of self had been somewhat distorted. Now she was the one that was in danger. She didn't think she could calmly and coolly breeze through the magical situations like Andy did back in the original world.

The next day, the four teenagers met up after school at Zusa's call. "I wanted to see one of the Witch hunts," she said, trying to hide a sense of eagerness in her voice due to Mami's viewpoint towards the Witches. "If we bust all the ones around here, maybe one of them will leave a hint on how to get back to the old world."

"Sounds like a pretty dumb idea to me," Andy said frankly. "But let's go for it anyways." Zusa shrugged, and Mami led the way down narrow alleys and desolate buildings.

"I'm going to stay out of this," Homura decided. "I'd feel like I'd definitely just be a burden."

"As a young, cute, and susceptible girl, you'd be in a fair amount of trouble outside suspicious places, too," Andy reasoned. Homura's eye twitched a little, annoyed by Andy's logic.

"You're pretty confident in your regeneration abilities," Mami said to Andy. "I'll admit that a flying meatshield has many uses, but if it turns out you can't really regenerate and your wings get infected, that would spell trouble. Or if you pass out again like you did on your original world."

"I'm feeling great," Andy said as he spread out his wings. Homura felt annoyed again by the presence of those things. It was the male sexiness, that arrogance he showed that felt uncalled for. He had shown it back in the fights against the demons, but he was a lot more aware of his role back there. "Open up the ward."

The actual fight itself went rather fast. Fortunately, it turned out that Andy could instantly regenerate and keep his head cool, and blocked several projectiles heading towards Homura and Zusa. Zusa reeled in sight of the blood, but looked at awe at the regeneration. Homura simply felt a bit more detached, as if Andy was being unneededly showy. He has to move with those wings, after all, she thought in her head. Near the end of the hunt, though, something slightly more disturbing happened. Mami let her guard down for a second and a shard of crystal fell towards her, but Andy was there to block it. A few seconds of painful groaning later, Andy pulled the crystal out of his wings by hand, and looked at the main Witch, which was one giant, patterned piece of rock. Homura saw a dangerous look of anger in his eyes as the crystal turned into that familiar dark poleaxe, and the Witch was split into two in a matter of seconds.

"Pretty awe-inspiring," Zusa said as the ward dissipated, and the four teenagers were left standing outside a desolate warehouse. "It should be fine as long as we can protect each other, right?"

"I suppose," Mami said, still slightly disturbed at the thought of having destroyed a former Puella Magi. "So it turns out you can work the offense as well, huh? It'd be great if you could accompany me to all of my Witch hunts…" Mami started, but immediately thought of Andy's reaction. "Ah," she apologized sincerely. "You're with Homura-san, aren't you? If she really looped back time, I can see why you'd like her so much better than me. I'd just thought it'd be a little less lonely… Whatever." Mami wiped away something in her eyes. "It's nice to have someone to fight with, though."

Zusa scratched her head. "I don't believe in soul mates, but I think Andy matches Homura better than most other Puella Magi I've heard of."

"Or I could always die alone," Andy said as he leaned on the poleaxe behind his shoulders for a while before dissipating it. Homura knew that it was Andy's nature to joke like this, but for some reason, it was a lot more annoying than it had been before. "But I don't think we match up all that well. The only things we share are being antisocial and having black hair."

Zusa seemed really eager to point out all the nice things, though. "Well, for one, you two look really good together." Andy raised an eyebrow. "I mean, you're both good-looking. But beyond that antisocial personality, I think there's a paranoia within you two, of being afraid of connecting with real people. From what I've heard, both of you really value private, personal things."

Andy was about to say "That it?" when Homura spoke up. "Oh, I don't know. I think Andy has forty or so IQ points on me."

"I can feel the sarcasm in that," Andy said with a sigh. "I'm sorry you'll have to be this way in this world. But until everything's fixed up, I can't have you dying or anything, okay? Maybe it seems otherwise sometimes, but I wouldn't care if I was classified as a retard if it meant being with you."

"Hmph," Homura turned, not knowing why she was so angry and yet feeling like she shouldn't forgive him. She remembered all of those private, personal things Zusa mentioned, and how sweet it was to be in bed with Andy. But another part of her felt that she had been robbed of something every since she got in this world. It was more than just her magical power – it was her relationships with other people and her identity as a whole.

"Let's get going, shall we?" Mami smiled. "If we really want to follow Kanajo-san's suggestions, we should exterminate lurking Witches as soon as possible, as many of them may have left their locations since the world change." Homura and Andy stayed silent on the way to the next Witch, the tension rising up between them again. Homura wanted so much for Andy to touch her again, to kiss her every single day and night, but she remembered how her heartbeat had felt last night, and how irregular it was even now. No dream of Madoka had appeared last night, either. She realized her immaturity, but felt that Andy was getting distracted by his new powers as well. Homura was sure that Andy understood this as well as she did, but there wasn't really much to say about it except to hug and cry it all out, only to have the argument start again sometime in the future.

Oh well, Homura thought to herself. Andy's a relatively rational person. I'm sure he won't do anything stupid with that axe. As she looked at Mami and Zusa, she suddenly felt competition for some reason. She thought of how much smoother things would be if Kyoko was in her place, or Sayaka or maybe even Madoka… Stupid, when have I cared so much about some smartass pretty boy in the first place?

A total of five Witches were brought down in the night, the process sped up immensely due to Andy's presence. Homura felt the tension between them rising and rising, and wanted badly to go home and eat and sleep with him again. "Well," Mami said as the group sat on a short train ride back to the main city. "No hints dropped, and my Soul Gem is already like this." Mami held up the Gem, showing it was half-tainted. "You won't need these, right?" Mami asked Andy as she held up four Grief Seeds, and Andy shook his head. "I wish I could be like you… I feel kind of selfish taking these all by myself." Mami sighed.

"Well, let's do it like this." Andy spread the Grief Seeds out amongst the group, so each person was holding one. "Here we go, to our good friend Mami." Andy, Homura, and Zusa all seemed to agree on that one point as they clacked the dark Grief Seed against the half-tainted Soul Gem. There was just enough to drain out all the darkness, and Mami genuinely felt happier, and not just because her magic was restored.

"One for me, too," Mami smiled as she clacked the Grief Seed in her hands against the Soul Gem. It was shining with a bright, radiant yellow now. "Thanks a lot, you guys."

"The energy released from a major change in the world is immeasurably immense," Kyubey remarked as it leapt out from under the seats. "It is strange how my memory works, but that's not important to maintaining the universe. I'm wishing you all good luck." Kyubey ate the four Grief Seeds happily and darted away.

"It really sounds like a fairy tale," Mami said. "To think that Homura-san, me, that Madoka girl, another Puella Magi, and Kyoko reclaiming her youthful self would live together peacefully and fight together as Puella Magi." Andy looked embarrassed for a short flash. "To think that you'd be capable of granting such a wish… I've got to ask you though, where's your role in it?"

Andy looked away, almost as if he was ashamed of himself. "I'm sure that Homuchan loves me very much," he said. Homura's heart leapt at the statement, wanting to ignore the temptation of calling Andy a smartass. "But as you've seen today, or maybe you'll see it in the future… I have no place in her ideal world with Madoka. I'm just an instrument, no matter how precious and sentient. I'll probably go back to the old world. Hopefully, I'll keep my memory."

That was when the four teenagers got off the train and sat around in the café again. "I don't suppose I play a role, either?" Zusa asked, swiftly picking up the conversation. "Meh, that's fine. My role in this world seems to be enough, after all. Mami-san, if you admit you're lonely, I can come over to your house tonight. We go to the same high school, don't we?"

"Ah…" Mami started. "That would be great. She cast a look at Homura and Andy almost worriedly, and left the café first with Zusa, leaving Andy to pay on his and Homura's behalf.

"I didn't think we'd be out this long," Homura admitted as she got up from her chair. "Let's just go back to my…" Homura took a deep breath. "Our apartment, okay?" Andy nodded eagerly, and with that the couple was back at home, eating a takeout dinner and sitting across the dining table. The air was full of tension. "I'm sorry of the things I said today," Homura said. "I felt… It's just the magic, sorry."

"It's nothing," Andy said without his nervous smile. "Maybe I did lose myself a little in there. But you don't have to apologize when you're right about…"

"No," Homura reached out and took Andy's hands, similar to how she had done so last night. "If we don't solve these things now, they can lead to loud but petty arguments. I don't know what to say, but… Let's just try to think of a solution to this rough patch while we snuggle up tonight, okay?"

"It's not even a rough patch yet…" Andy muttered, but agreed upon Homura's request. As he finished his shower and walked into the bedroom, Homura decided to speak up about it.

"You're right," she said as she observed Andy's pants. "You're very… sensual. It's not just that you skipped a night, but it's the fact that you've seen me in a different outfit, too, right? I'm really not sure about this, so if you really need to, you can use the internet or something. You can even do it to rape if you need to…" Homura immediately caught herself. "Sorry, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean it like that from that serious discussion we had…" Homura got up from the bed and pressed herself against Andy, brining him down with a sincere kiss. "It must be so uncomfortable for you," she said after the couple had moved over to the bed. "I'm changing my mind. If you really need to…"

"No," Andy said. "You really don't look too well in your current state. I guess we could try it and then tell the doctors when something goes wrong, but that would leave me feeling even guiltier. I'll… until we find the solution, I'll do it with myself for a while, okay? I'll promise that I'll be thinking of you every time."

The next day, Homura had collapsed after the 400 meter run in P.E. She had thought that she had the mental aptitude to do it even with her weakened body, and was feeling fine until the end of the run, when she suddenly started to get dizzy. It didn't even hurt, the world just had started spinning and she collapsed. When she was asked to call someone close to her, she chose to call Zusa instead of Andy for some reason, and Zusa was more than happy to try to set things straight. Apparently, Homura had stayed home and had been forced to be self-educated after the spring of last year due to her condition. There were said to be some dangerous viruses in the air, and that, combined with the P.E. program, probably meant that Homura couldn't attend school anymore.

"That really sucks, huh?" was the first thing Andy said when he got home and heard the news.

Homura shrugged, refraining herself from sighing. "What you said a few weeks about school though… You were right. It was mostly pointless, and it won't be that bad staying home waiting for you like it was in the summer. Even if I get depressed from time to time, I'm not suicidal, and I won't turn into a Grief Seed or anything."

Andy put his elbow against the counter and leaned on his hand. "Still, I'm surprised you called Zusa instead of me. I would've been happy to come and see you if you were in trouble. I don't think I'd embarrass you too much, I mean…"

"You shouldn't skip work too much, right?" Homura asked, thinking of the real reason she hadn't called him. Suddenly, she had an urge to change the subject. "Are you going out Witch hunting with Mami and Zusa again? I thought you had taken out a good number of them yesterday…"

"This seems to be a shallow, superficial city," Andy said uncomfortably. "There are a lot of fat Witches and growing Familiars and sad Puella Magi about to become Witches, I guess. If Mami works at half the pace we did yesterday, the city should be relatively safe, but I'm not sure if she can handle it by herself."

"Are you sure you know what you're doing with that axe, though?" Homura asked. The way he had fought yesterday was surprisingly crude compared to how he used to smoothly think things out. It was almost hauntingly reminiscent of Sayaka Miki.

"I'm fine," Andy said. "I just need some more practice. Are you coming along or what?" Andy hadn't even bothered to take off his jacket.

"I think I'll stay home," Homura said. "Maybe shop for some groceries, or something. I'm afraid I won't be much practical help, and you seem reasonably calm enough to not need 'moral support'."

Andy held in a sigh, knowing that he wanted more of their relationship. Couples bonded by talking, but there really wasn't much to talk about. It seemed stupid enough to turn on the TV and sit there for a few hours, and sexual acts were probably still off-limits. For a while, he just stood there, wanting to deny that his relationship with Homura might have hit the dead end a few days ago.

The week passed, and everything seemed relatively peaceful. Zusa and Mami seemed to have given up on the quest to revert the world change, Homura couldn't go many places in her current condition, and Andy had absolutely no lead on the suspect. The Witches were defeated surprisingly quickly, though, and Mami seemed a lot happier with Zusa aat her side. Andy knew something was going on between the two of them, but decided not to pester about it.

Homura knew that Andy was doing the best he possibly could, but still felt kind of exhausted by him. He braided her hair in the mornings and was now doing a little more than fifty percent of the work in the house, but Homura just seemed to tire of his person. It seemed like he tried to mirror Madoka's kindness and was mostly successful, but there was something off about him, the cool side, the smart side, the flashy side that really annoyed her. Andy noticed this mood in her when Homura caught a bad illness and he acted a little too happy to take care of her. He decided to snuggle up and catch the same cold himself, all the while coming to Homura with soup and hot chocolate while she was reading in bed, but it just didn't work out as sweetly as supposed to. His body got rid of the illness in a day or so, and Homura's eyes seemed very, very tired of something, and not just because of the sickness.

"I've been thinking about what it means to deserve something," Andy said, trying to strike up an important conversation as he lay in bed with Homura. "I've always liked the idea, even if it was sad, about having to pay the price for pleasure in pain. But sometimes it just feels that pain is altogether sharper and more pronounced…. Maybe deserving something means learning to appreciate the pain?"

"This relates to you, doesn't it?" Homura asked wearily. The sickness had been wearing off, but she was still lying in bed and covered with blankets. "Most of the actual pain you seem to be dealing with isn't with me, though. It's with fighting Witches."

"I know," Andy sighed. "But sometimes I think that when a person lives, he or she would always have the chance to change, to do something great. Maybe this is why I don't try to enforce many things, or… Never mind that. You could say that sometimes people don't deserve what they get at first, but they learn to repay their debts."

"I felt that way when I first met Madoka, like I didn't deserve her help," Homura admitted. "But I feel my debt had been stretched way out of proportion. Andy, don't do anything stupid, okay? You've already done a lot for me, and…"

"The last thing I can do is grant your wish," Andy said solemnly. "You know, I'm getting more and more powerful recently, and carrying more of the battles with Mami. The Witches aren't going away though… The demons seemed to be repelled by my presence, but the Witches seem to be attracted to it." Andy shook off those thoughts. "In any case, I don't think I'll be powerful enough to reshape the world on a grand scale anytime soon. Maybe I just have to find the original perpetrator."

Homura cleared her throat. "But even if it was say, you or Zusa, there wouldn't be much you could actually do about it. Even when you successfully argued against that orb demon, it tried to stone you anyways." Andy couldn't think of anything to say, and the conversation ended up as a disappointment right there.

The next week, everything seemed to degenerate. Homura wasn't sure of what it was exactly, whether it was her or the loss of Kyoko's presence, or the change in Zusa's attitude, or the lessening of hope. Andy would moved to the bathroom or bedroom with his laptop at not-too-convenient times, apparently reaching to point where he wanted to seek out porn again. She didn't think he was addicted to sex or anything, but at times he would just be distracted, gaming or whatnot. He started to caress Homura less and less when she was by his side, even though he clearly felt guilty about doing so. It did kind of make sense, after all. Homura had become colder and filled Andy with stress ever since the world change, and he had no idea how to make things better. Homura decided that the best thing to do was just stay calm and not yell at him.

After Homura went to sleep, Andy would silently whisper "Sorry, Homuchan" as he walked out of the apartment and took to the skies, flying across the continent and sometimes even the world. His red wings carried him at unbelievable speeds, and he almost relished the air cutting against his clothes. He knew he didn't have a single clue how to grant Homura's wish, but knew it was possible, so he flew everywhere in search of the answer. Sometimes, he would land on top of skyscrapers, or in the middle of the desert, or in the middle of a vast forest. The world was amazing and breathtaking, but none of it would match up to the feelings Andy felt from seeing Homura's smile – not the obligated 'thank you' smile, but the genuine one that he wanted to see, the one that she had when she was happy in her dreams.

The flying exhausted him, and Andy was immensely disgusted when he flew to other countries and stalked acts of terror in the shadows. He didn't do anything about it, however, and the darkness in his heart only gave him more power. He hardly had to sleep now, and had the luxury of gazing at Homura's sleeping body, but for some reason, he was mostly filled with self-contempt when he looked at her. He loved her, but the hatred he felt for himself and mankind was even greater, even if he would act calm and collected when slaying Witches with Zusa and Mami. He knew that it was his magic and power that made him feel that way, and knew that he needed to find a way to grant Homura's wish as soon as possible.

One Sunday, Andy felt immensely dry as he sat at his laptop. He wasn't exactly horny, but he felt a sudden desire to browse for porn and jack off a lot. Homura noticed the change when he got into bed with her, and Andy's own head was swimming with wet nothingness. An inordinate amount of pure dopamine had entered his bloodstream, and he didn't have the set of emotions to regulate it. At once, he felt desentisized, and could hardly care if he stubbed his toe or cut off his own finger. He hadn't thought it would be that bad if he just did it six times in one day. It was just dope, pure dope, with no bliss or sadness. The erotic images just flashed in his mind, and he got into bed rather mechanically.

"You all right?" Homura asked, noticing how uncomfortable Andy's pupils looked. Andy just nodded, obviously not all right. "I didn't think it'd be the porn that cracked you up and not the Witches." Homura was met with silence, and an unbearable, mysterious feeling rose through her heart. She felt that she had shrugged off Andy, but by doing so, it made him into a completely different person. He would still help around the house and work, but part of him seemed to be devastated by the change in his relationship. "You've hardly touched me recently…"

"Well maybe I just want some time alone!" Andy said in a surprisingly loud yell, and Homura almost leapt back against the wall. "Maybe I just need to feel pleasure in this body again, the kind that overwhelms me and…" Andy suddenly came to his senses, but he wasn't even sighing. "Sorry, Homuchan. I can't feel anything right now, I just doped myself a bit too much. The pain when fighting is another thing, but this…" He couldn't even feel guilt at the moment, but knew he was guilty. "Sorry I yelled at you. Sorry I ignored you and couldn't talk things through. You're the most…" Andy forced himself to contort his face. "Sweetest, noble, precious person to me, and just because I'm thinking of something else doesn't mean that you're not my biggest priority. I screwed up. I messed up big-time, but… I'll take the day off tomorrow for you, okay?" The conversation was all one-sided, and despite the feelings of love and sympathy Homura felt, she reasoned that she should distance herself from Andy as soon as possible.

The next day, Andy seemed to have returned to his usual self, the dope all washed out of his bloodstream. With a shining smile, he snuggled up with Homura in the morning, looking forward to perhaps the nothing they would be doing all day. "Geez," Homura said as she hugged Andy back. "You really think that this'll help? We don't even have any plans for the day."

"It shouldn't matter, because I love you, Homuchan," Andy drowned himself in thoughts of her again. Forget about me, he thought. I need to know how to grant her wish. Homura, Homura, Homura, you, you, you. His feelings all mixed and intertwined, yet repeated and cycled, like an infinite span of the cosmos. The pain, the self-pitying pain and the deep desire to sacrifice resonated in his heart, but he was only glad that he was alive, feeling something more than physical pain and pleasure, something wild and electric. The only thing that had truly been magical all this time was his love, his emotions, all the things he actually cared about.

Homura was flattered, but wasn't quite sure what to do. Andy had suddenly become distanced again, no matter how much she felt for him. She and him were no longer one in a relationship, but two individuals gazing at each other from a distance. There was a strange, confused happiness in her heart that she couldn't be satisfied with. She wanted to be angry and carry out that anger, but that anger was just her happiness, the odd feeling she got when she acknowledged Andy's existence. Reality became a blur, and everything was psychological even when Andy carried Homura on his back and ran through the house on a whim. At first, they had connected with only ideas and feelings and bodies, but now, Andy simply had Homura all over him. She felt her wish would be granted soon, and a wave of emotions came over her.

That night, Andy flew deep into the forest, observing the wilderness and trying to think of an answer. He needed more of his love, and needed to accelerate his feelings one way or another. He thought of the dream world Homura had described to him, and what he would be doing by granting her wish. He loved her so, so much, but it would be a bubble that he was sheltering her and himself in. Andy thought of his own intelligence, and it wasn't even a quest for truth anymore. It was just his nature, and he couldn't help having to have the air vibrate around him violently, as if he was breaking the sound barrier every second. He needed not only to understand the inner workings of the world to change it, but he had to become it.

A young and innocent female deer stood in a clearing, vulnerable as it chewed its grass. Suddenly but predictably, a lone wolf burst out of the shadows and began sinking its teeth into the flesh, gnawing away at the deer's lower half. Nature, Andy thought, and thought of humans, and the world around them. He made a chance decision and cut off the deer's lower half, regenerating its upper half with his magic so it could escape. However, the wolf pursued the living deer all the same and got the victim's neck this time, rendering it dead in an instant.

The sacrifice has to be made, Andy reminded himself. He knew how much he enjoyed today, looking at Homura, touching her, being in her presence and sharing her air. He knew how much she appreciated him, but like the wolf, he couldn't just pursue efficiency and kindness with the kind of magic he wielded. He needed to see his target taken down. Someone had to pay, and that someone was unlucky him.

Tonight, Andy decided to see the oceans. He thought of how beautiful the water was, how fascinating the creatures in it were, how relentless and eternal the waves crashed upon shore. In an instant, he forgot everything in the nothingness of the waters. A fifty foot high wave rose above him, and in an instant he knew that he could fly away and guarantee his safety. "There's going to be another wave after this, though," Andy said to himself, floating still in the air as the wave came down on him. There would be a tsunami, and some poor country would be wrecked. He wondered if he could stop it, and wondered why he cared. Looking for answers, he dove into the mass of the wave, and was immediately engulfed in the chaos.

Water filled Andy's lungs and dragged down at his clothes, but due to his magic, he was still alive. Everything was blurry, and he made a shadow out in front of him. He heard his own voice and thought of his own body, except it was all more rugged, more independent. "This is the day of your decision," Andy heard himself say. "You have a chance to be strong and utterly free – will you take it? You can rule the world, travel between universes, hunt and adventure. Freedom – isn't that what every man wants?"

Homura, Andy thought in the midst of the chaos. "I want freedom," he heard himself say. "But just enough so I can do something with it. After a man is freed, he needs something to do with his life. The only freedom is that freedom of choice, of what or who to be a servant to, a slave to. If this is the moment where I gain near unlimited power, I'd like to use it to grant Homuchan's wish."

"You can still have her, you fool. She's reliant on you and appreciates you, and she's still fairly satisfied. You can…"

"She's not the type to be attracted by power. This is the end. I'll go back to my original world, and at the very least those five Puella Magi can live out their lives happily."

"You'll be a nobody! You'll be nothing in a world which doesn't even suit you! You have all this potential for magic, for power, for individuality, and…"

"She is me," Andy said boldly. "Homuchan is my individual, my person, my self. I couldn't care less what happens to this empty shell of mine and the smartass soul that lives inside it. Just knowing that she's happy would be enough for me." Suddenly, the voice disappeared, and the waves stopped. Andy burst out of the water, soaring up to the clouds with his wet wings, his eyes closed as he grit his teeth, tears dripping down from his position. A new light had awoken in his soul. "I love you, Homuchan," Andy whispered into the cold night air, and headed home.

"Today is your lucky day," Andy said happily as he watched Homura awaken the next morning. "I found the power yesterday. Kind of a lame deus ex thing, but it all worked out. Your wish will be granted." A surge of love and happiness flashed through Homura's heart, but she saw a hint of disappointment in Andy's eyes.

"Will you…" Homura wanted to avoid it, but at the same moment she desperately need to know everything. "Will you really be leaving us? All of us?"

Andy looked to one of the walls as if he was embarrassed. "You know how badly everything worked when Madoka and I were in coexistence. I think I knew at the very beginning that this was my role."

Homura paused in a silence, thinking of all of the great and horrible feelings Andy had made her feel. "Will I… Will I forget everything about you?"

"Naturally," Andy said, a smile on his face again. You're hurting, Homura thought, but couldn't bear to spoil the mood. "I wouldn't want you worry about someone like me, who shouldn't have anything to do with your life in the first place." Homura suddenly felt like utter garbage, but she had to feel something.

"Will you remember me?"

"If I remembered you…" Andy paused. "If I fully remembered all of this, I would probably kill myself, knowing that my life's work is done. But don't worry. Maybe it'll just be a dream or something, but when I return to my original world, I'll definitely find a way to remember you."

"Andy, I love you." Homura was almost tearing up now, but Andy kept his cool as always. Stupid Andy, lovable Andy.

"How about we get some breakfast then?" Andy asked as he took Homura's hands and led her to the dining room. "As you may have noticed, we'll be together all day again. Figured I might as well skip work since it's my last day here, after all."

Homura's thoughts were muddled as she spent the day with Andy, kissing him, hugging him, just saying one final goodbye. Was it really all over? Was the happy ending finally reached? Madoka would be back along with Sayaka Miki, and Zusa would probably be gone… It was ridiculous, but it was going to happen anyways. She just knew from the tone in Andy's voice, that cool, genuine confidence that he had when he had decided to free Kyoko from her accuser. All of their terrible sufferings would end, and a happily ever after would just come and stretch out across them.

"Well, I guess this is it," Andy said as he lay in bed with Homura that night, stroking her braids affectionately. "Just go to sleep, and when you wake up, I'll be gone. You'll be in a perfect world, and I'll be where I belong." Andy caught the coincidental rhyme, and suddenly started to have second thoughts.

"I love you, Andy," Homura said, patting Andy's back with a smile. "Maybe in a different world, in a different time, our souls will meet and they'll belong together. They'll be without memory, and maybe they'll just be a temporary flash, but there's no such thing as an eternal parting. I love you so much and you did well…" Within a few minutes, Homura was asleep, snuggled deep in Andy's chest, and Andy, alone in his power and consciousness, began to feel daggers in his throat.

Silently, slowly, he got up from his laying position, and kneeled on the bed besides Homura. He brushed away the blankets and began to unbutton her shirt, revealing those slight, subtle breasts that he couldn't get enough of. He pulled her pants halfway down, gazing at her panties and thinking of how often he had ravished in the delight between her legs, and that was enough. Andy stripped his pants and in a mixture of love and self-disgust, began masturbating over Homura's naked chest. She had a helpless, cute look of discomfort on her face, the faintest flush polishing her cheeks. One last time… He thought. One last time, one last time…

Homura awoke right after the third orgasm, and immediately noticed something was amiss. "Andy…" she muttered as Andy suddenly stopped, leaving his body parts out in their firm repulsiveness. Homura looked at her chest, seeing that it was totally covered in semen. "You didn't have to… If you wanted one last time…"

And so, Andy was overjoyed as the couple made love for one last time, one last, last time. He was crying as he pressed his chest up against Homura's in a deep, deep embrace, smearing the disgusting fluids all over his body as well. Homura seemed to be slightly uncomfortable, but not in any great pain due to the movements. With a final thrust, Andy said that it would be the last time, the last, last time as he emptied himself inside his beloved.

But it wasn't enough. Homura had fallen unconscious from the chaos of it all, the pain, the pleasure, everything Andy had thrust upon her. "One last time," Andy repeated, and with self-disgust and contempt and suicidal feelings, he proceeded to ravish in Homura's unconscious body, and continued to do so two more times. One last, last time, he repeated. Last time, the last, the last… After he pulled out, he realized he still wasn't satisfied, and continued with just his hands now. He hated himself, he punished himself as he ached and burned while rubbed his genitals, not even producing anything in his orgasm as the skin started to rot and heat and fall off, leaving open red marks and scars again, scars that Homura wished he would never inflict upon himself again. "I love you, Homura," Andy said, hating himself, hating his ego, hating his intelligence, wanting the world to banish him and destroy him and rip him to shreds as he said those words. "I love, love, love you, Homura."

Homura awoke a second time a few hours later, and Andy had lost count, hurting himself, pleasuring himself, driving him insane and loving it all. "I'm sorry!" Andy said. "It'll be soon, just this last time, it'll be enough eventually, enough, I love you, enough, love, love…!"

"Andy…" Homura looked at the sorrowful and pitiful self-inflicted pain. Tears were in his eyes and streaming down his face, and he wasn't even erect anymore, but he was forcing himself, because he wanted more pain, more and more to satisfy his craving for love, feelings that Homura had never stirred enough of. "Please. Cool yourself." With those words, Homura forced Andy's hands away and attached herself to him, trying to soften and calm him with her inner softness. "There were things you needed to say, right?"

"I'm horrible!" Andy said, breaking down as he fell to Homura's side, caressing her with angst and rebellion. "Maybe I really did love you, but you were just my ego to me, something I could take pride in and deprecate myself with and feel… Everything with, it's like you were just the bag, the source of my emotions, and I just wanted them cause they were fun, but it's just my love, love, love is sickening and wrecks me and I'm a disgusting young man who can't… can't…"

Homura pressed her lips to Andy and swirled her tongue around, loving him, holding him in that last, final moment. "I've been mean to you, too. Deep down, I've always just thought of you as a tool, or…" Homura couldn't believe it. Tears were forming in her eyes as well, and it was just for this tool, this lowlife, this… person that she loved. "It was really uncalled for. If you want to, you can stay, and I'm sure we'll find hobbies and things to do, and we can even find that cabin near the North Pole where the snow is magically…"

Andy shook his head vigorously, and then embraced Homura in another deep kiss, the tears mixing together now, all of the disgusting fluids connecting and molesting each other. "Thank you so much, Homura. I'll never forget you, and even if you don't want me to feel pain or kill myself, I'll continue to live… Like that. I'll remember you in one way or another, and protect you, and love you, and…" He was at a loss for words now, a loss for intellect. As the couple continued to smother themselves, the world around them flashed a snowy white, and in an instant, things became better.

"Andy…" Kyoko muttered as she opened her eyes, alone in a world of nothing but white. Andy was up ahead of her, walking away, heading to some unknown fate. "Andy!" she yelled as she raced across the vast white nothingness. Andy turned with an enigmatic smile.

"Kyoko-chan, you're back. So the wish seems to be working after all."

"You…" Kyoko took Andy's hands. "You're leaving? But… Homura, she…"

"That's how it is for people that carry the truth," Zusa said a few meters behind Kyoko. She had suddenly appeared out of nothingness, and seemed to have important things to say. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but you did well, pretty boy. Kyoko, you'll be able to see your precious Sayaka Miki again, so it's fine, isn't it?"

"But why does he have to leave?" Kyoko turned to Zusa, then Andy, then Zusa again. "Didn't we all have fun together?"

Andy shook his head. "I'm just a stupid, smelly boy. I have no place in a world full of young maidens like you. I'm just going to where I belong. Zusa, promise me you won't rewrite the universe again, okay?"

Zusa gave Andy a tired smile. "I was just… a little emotional. But seeing you do this… May have lifted my spirits a little. I'll leave you five Puella Magi alone, but I'm sure that I won't have to be so lonely in the future."

"But… But…!" Kyoko was at a loss for words as Andy started to turn away and complete his journey. "Won't you be lonely?" Kyoko almost felt hysterical now. "What about I come with you… I can learn English and reintroduce myself and be at your side, and…"

"Sayaka needs you," Andy said bluntly as he turned his back. Kyoko knew he was saying the truth, and wilted inside. "Don't worry. If I'm feeling lonely, I'll be lonely because of the love I feel for Homuchan. That kind of pain is always the sweetest when it stings."

"Thank you," Madoka's voice popped up in the distance as she walked towards Andy. Andy turned swiftly, and saw the pink-haired girl in her school uniform. So she really was freed from her role as Puella Magi goddess… "You're taken really good care of Homura-chan and Kyoko-chan, and helped Zusa-san, too. You've got a bright future on your own world."

"Funny thing is, no one will remember this," Andy said, but Madoka stepped up for a short hug anyways.

"That's…" Kyoko muttered.

"He's a smart boy and a good guy," Homura said as she stepped out of the nothingness and put a hand on Andy's shoulder. "We did enough touching in our final moments, didn't we? Good luck, old friend."

"Seventeen is not that old," Andy replied.

"Still got that wit as always, don't you?" Homura and Madoka only smiled.

"It's nice not having to be alone," Mami said as she appeared.

"So this is that new guy Kyoko met? Eh?" Sayaka was here, too. "He's almost as attractive as Kyosuke… No, a bit more than him, actually!"

"Zusa…" Kyoko said, turning to the twintailed girl. "We'll all forget about this?"

"Obviously not me," Zusa said, brushing away her hair. "I have my responsibilities. I think you'll remember it too, for one reason or another. Memory has its ups and downs."

"Well, I'm going," Andy said with a wave of his hands. "You five have fun together." With a flash, everything was fixed and proper – even better than it had been before.

Andy returned from the bathroom and sat at his laptop with a dreadful void at his heart, looking at the mass of text in front of him. In this world, Homura, Madoka, and the other girls minus Zusa were just characters in a relatively successful anime franchise named Puella Magi Madoka Magica, and it was probably so in reality. No matter how much he loved Homura, she was fictional – it was all just fictional. There was no way that what he had written in this fanfiction was true at all, that this was how he changed his original world so he would never, ever forget his sweet and precious Homura.

It was 4:02 AM on the 9th of July, two days away from his seventeenth birthday. There was summer school starting tomorrow because he had been lazy enough to fail certain classes. He hated thinking of the real world, and thinking of himself. Homura, I love you, he repeated in his heart. And I always will.

It was almost a year since he had been introduced to the franchise. It was currently the fourth time he was watching the anime. He didn't spend that much money because he wasn't the richest boy, but he had quite a collection, and lamented, regretted, hated himself for not being able to do anything but be caught up in capitalism. He wanted the Homura figurine and the Key Animation Note of her, but they were hard to obtain for various reasons. Whatever. All he was was a hopeless, disgusting fanboy who masturbated and moped and wept, alone and all alone in his room. No one would have to know about this crazy story. If he published it online, it would probably either receive scathing reviews or get ignored. This was stupid, all so, so stupid, and with those feelings Andy wanted Homura more than ever.

It was enough of the real world, he decided. There was just one last bit he needed to finish.

"Sounds pretty far-fetched," Sayaka said after Kyoko relayed her memory of Andy's journey to the four other Puella Magi in that all-too familiar I. Somehow, Kyoko knew more about Andy than she had observed, but there was no proof. Not even Madoka knew about him. For all they knew, Madoka and Sayaka had somehow came back to the world in their human forms and Kyoko's memory had been oddly altered. "Can you repeat the sex parts again?"

Kyoko flushed. "Sayaka, don't…"

"I don't think I'd hook up with a loser like him," Homura said bluntly. "I guess I wouldn't shoot him if I saw him, and would get along with him fine if I had to."

"And there's this Zusa Kanajo-san," Mami said. "If only she would come and visit us or something."

"It ultimately doesn't make a difference," Homura said. "What matters is that all of us are alive and happy, for the most part. In this city, somehow five Puella Magi have managed to live peacefully."

Madoka was genuinely concerned, though. "If he's still in that… pain of his, I'd want him to meet us all again. He seems like a perfectly decent person. Kyoko-chan and Mami-san originally forgot about me, and it was a pretty ridiculous story when we all met up again, so he definitely has a chance of actually existing."

"Mind if you draw him?" Homura asked as she pulled out her notebook and a pen, sliding them over to Kyoko. Kyoko scribbled on the paper, embarrassed at her lack of artistic talent, and Sayaka was at her side laughing raucously.

"Shut up," Kyoko said as Homura took the paper.

"I'll do some straightening up," Homura said as she drew a second face below the first. Kyoko stared at the drawing and pulled over the notebook.

"Wow," Kyoko said. "That really looks like him."

"Eheheh… Whoa," Sayaka said as she looked at the sketch. "Must've been fun sleeping with that hunk of meat, huh?" Kyoko flushed again, wanting to punch Sayaka but restraining herself.

A few days later, Kyoko stood alone on the roof of the shared apartment complex, odd thoughts filling her head. The world still wasn't perfect, she thought. Homura still had to go through that torture for Madoka, and she and Mami were still orphans, and Andy, of all people, was utterly alone…

"Hey," Homura said as she came up to the roof. Kyoko turned, and Homura seemed slightly upset about something.

"What's up?" Kyoko asked, not really in a playful manner.

Homura brushed her long, black hair. "As you know, Madoka and I began doing it some time ago." Kyoko had a rather shameful look on her face. "So you have been doing it with Sayaka, huh? Youth isn't really something you should be ashamed of." Kyoko was silent as she gazed at the clouds again. "Madoka… She isn't aggressive enough sometimes, I don't know. How about you?"

Kyoko remained silent for a while. "Did you come up here just to tell me that?"

Homura sighed. "I also wanted to say sorry for dismissing the whole… Andy thing that day you spilled the beans about him. I believe in him, and think he's probably real somewhere, suffering just by the thought of me. I just thought I would say that I respect your feelings towards him, no matter how much craziness actually happened to get us into this situation."

Kyoko turned and was about to leave the roof when Sayaka came up. "Whoa, Kyoko. Thought you might be here. You know, I just wanted to say, it's a miracle I'm alive, isn't it? Sometimes I feel I deserve to have faded away, or turn into a Witch…" Sayaka noticed Kyoko's expression. "It's nothing, I was just coming to say sorry about the jokes I made. But I'm serious about what I'm just about to say. Should we start using toys or something? You know I'm not a lesbian, and I was thinking of you too, so…"

"No," Kyoko said bluntly, not even blushing this time.

"It's even heated," Sayaka started, but Kyoko just grasped her arm and led her down the stairs, realizing something.

"You're fine, Sayaka. I'm happy with just you."

A week later, the five Puella Magi were all at the café again when a strange magical presence littered the air. A red-eyed girl in twintails sat in the table besides them, and raised her hands for a quick order. Kyoko was gazing at the newcomer, and this aroused the rest of the group's attention. The newcomer noticed this and waved, and when her drink came, she snatched it up and bumped into Sayaka, forcing her way into the group of five.

"Didn't think I'd be visiting this place again," the twintailed girl said as she sipped her pearl milk tea. "But I was up for a little vacation. Everyone seems to be doing fine, aren't they, Kyoko?" The newcomer took another obnoxious slurp. "I don't know if Kyoko's told the story already, but I'll give you my take on a powerless boy who helped reshape this world. Want to hear?" Another slurp.

"Hmm?" Sayaka raised an eyebrow, obviously amused. "And who might you be, exactly?"

The twintailed girl closed one eye and slurped. "Forgot to say 'nice to meet you'. Sometimes forget those things, usually when I'm with magical people." With a single readjustment, the girl brushed her cheek and declared to the group confidently: "I'm Puella Magi Zusa Kanajo."

The End


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